Chuck Wendig’s Black River Orchard is a haunting, sprawling small-town saga following numerous personalities in Harrow, Pennsylvania. When I say sprawling, I mean this book is five hundred-plus pages covering months and years in time. Our cast of characters includes local orchard farmer Dan, his typical sassy teen daughter Calla, her track-star boyfriend Marco, married newcomers to the town Meg and Emily, now-returned local Joanie and her husband Graham, and apple hunter John Compass. And those are just the key players. Somehow, Wendig manages to wrap all these people and the subsequent, terrifying events they encounter into one neatly packaged tale filled with action, loss, sacrifice, courage, terror, and apples.

That’s right, Chuck Wendig has made the fruit aisle of my grocery store the last place I want to be. Born out of financial desperation, apple farmer Dan not only wants but needs to find a type of apple that will sell and sell by the crate. He’s trying to ensure that his daughter Calla can attend any college she wishes without the soul-crushing burden of student loans. Seemingly right on time, he discovers a “new” type of apple, one that tastes of paradise and promises the sweetness of an eternal tomorrow. Sounds too good to be true, right? You would be correct.

The townspeople of Harrow latch onto this apple with an animalistic desire; not only are they seemingly glowing after consuming the fruit, but they are “better” versions of themselves. Or at least they think they are. Of course, a handful of people simply don’t like apples or decide not to indulge in this fruity pleasure. Boy, are they better off for it. Wendig crafts this cult-like atmosphere with the natural progression of alienation of those who do not eat the apple. This seems deeply rooted in organized religious dogmas that are founded on the principle that those who believe and partake in these practices will be saved while those who do not will perish. The haves, and the have-nots.

Present events escalating, Wendig also includes numerous interludes that give readers a glimpse as to how the hell the town of Harrow ended up here. Normally, I hate to be pulled away from the action of a main plotline, but these asides are concise and meaningful. They’re spaced so well that it feels completely natural to be privy to this information given the circumstances of the present day.

Some would argue that the numerous jumps between characters and the focus on more of their perhaps “mundane” experiences at the beginning of the novel would be a drag or lull the pace of the story. However, I would argue that this is one of the book’s strongest features. Through these brief glimpses of life with each character, we learn what things were like before the apple and after the apple (B.A. and A.A. if you will). I’ve written before about how strongly I care for character development, and if you find yourself aligning with those values, you’ll love this book for the sheer amount of time you get to spend learning the intricacies of each character introduced.

Perhaps the strongest quality of this book is the sheer horror of it all. Small samples of disturbing imagery are injected into the plot from the start with the second half of the book spiraling into the full-fledged monstrosity of catastrophe. How Chuck Wendig was able to turn a seemingly inconspicuous member of the fruit family into something so terribly horrific is truly beyond me. Several scenes left me wincing and were filled with gory body horror that I refuse to spoil for anyone (you simply need to experience that for yourself). Most horrifying of all is watching the townsfolk lose themselves to the apple and the idea that their “dignity” can be restored through the transformation the apple offers. This is a central idea that Wendig capitalizes on: the idea of how deep the roots of our identity, or rather who we think we are in relation to who we want to be, reach. Do we measure up to who we think we are? How far will you go to achieve “perfection?”

Nothing short of a horrific saga, Black River Orchard is a story that embraces its terrifying weirdness with open arms. With a comprehensive backstory interwoven with the present narrative, Chuck Wendig has gifted us a gritty look into small-town persuasion and the horrors of falling to the masses. We are given many loveable (and hate-able) characters to empathize with and shake our fists at throughout the course of the plot without losing out on the action. A true example of balancing characterization and plot development, Black River Orchard will have me skipping the farmer’s market for the foreseeable future.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House Ballantine Del Rey for gifting me a digital ARC of the new novel by Chuck Wendig - 5 creepy stars!

Set in Bucks County, PA, fall is in the air, so that means it's apple time. Dan Paxson has found a new variety of apple, named the Ruby Slipper by his daughter, Calla. But this is no ordinary apple. It's addicting and changes people. Those who haven't eaten it know that there is something wrong, but can they stop what's happening?

My first Chuck Wendig book was The Book of Accidents, which I loved and I loved this one too! It's long, but it never felt too long because it's filled with so much - horror, suspense, Native American folklore, small town atmosphere, and enough interesting characters to keep everyone gossiping. It's good vs evil, and so very creepy. This is the perfect book to read this fall!

On a personal note, I am so sad because Chuck Wendig is in my local bookstore NOW talking about this book and I would have loved to been there! My elderly mother lives with me and I couldn't get away, but I would have loved to hear him talk about this book.

Thanks to Del Rey Books and Netgalley for the ARC.

I have to admit the first thing after finishing I wondered over Chuck Wending's sanity.......cause dang it all having this story in your brain waiting to get out.......holy moly. At the same time, it's another winner as it Chuck once again creates characters who you immediately feel connected to and this is what makes his books so fantastic to read, these characters are your neighbors, friends or acquaintances and so you feel you know them. And then as slowly as fog creeps along the ground the darkness, that itchy feeling at the back of your neck begins and you know that you are in for one helluva ride. It builds and builds, and the intensity, wrongness and utter creepiness just take over and even though you shiver and cringe you just can't stop reading. One of my favorite things though was as these characters are going through literal hell, you are also learning about heirloom apples and how they are found and grown again, and I thoroughly enjoyed all of that. The weaving of local and regional history through his stories is something I always find so interesting about these stories and this one is no different. I really want to check out some local heirloom apples now!! If you are looking for a spooky season read, this absolutely fills the bill and will make it so you never look at apples the same again.

The writing in this book was impeccable. Although it took me a month to read, I could not stop thinking about this book. It was the perfect fall read, and I was not expecting this book to turn into what it turned into. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I can not wait to read more books by Chuck because his writing style is literally amazing!

Special thanks to Random House Publishing, Ballantine Books Del Rey and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I like Chuck Wendig. Loved The Book of Accidents. Holy bunch of characters! Like a lot! But I liked it. It was long, but short length on the page, so it doesn't feel like like 500+ pages.

I'm not gonna give anything away about the book, I'm sure you all know that its about apples. But I don't think I'm going out on a limb by saying I enjoyed this book. I am still thinking about it. Its strange and weird, even creepy. I recommend this book. There's so much to say really, great book for a book club. Lots to discuss.

My only problem, it had a very slow point in the middle, but the beginning, and the end make up for it. If you haven't read a Chuck Wendig book, I suggest you start now!

Not since the Adam and Eve (or maybe Snow White) have apples played such a major role in causing chaos. Dan Paxson is an apple farmer…are at least he’s trying to be one, trying to fulfill his father’s dream. Things are rough for him as a single dad trying to make ends meet for him and his daughter. He’s hoping to make a name for himself with his new apple, the product of his tiny seven tree orchard, which his daughter names The Ruby Slipper. It’s a dark red apple, so dark it’s almost black. But one taste and people are hooked. But it’s not just that they taste delicious, no there is so much more to these apples. They start to have some amazing effects on people. I don’t want to reveal too much, but let’s just say people really love these things and want more and more. As with most of Chuck’s books, this is a fairly hefty volume, clocking in at over 500 pages with some fascinating characters and multiple interconnecting storylines. I honestly didn’t think a story about apples could be so gripping, but you won’t want to put this one down. And you may never look at an apple the same way again, lol. I also think if you’re a big fan of Stephen King you’re going to find this one has a very Needful Things vibe to it. I’d like to thank Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Black River Orchard.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R39WLZSZEUCUSF/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

I want to thank the publisher and net Kelly for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.Dan and Calla live in a small town in Pennsylvania and that’s where Dan grew up with his dad big-Dan he’s growing apples and doing his best to fulfill his dad‘s dream. Big Dan committed suicide because someone who he considered his friend and who little Dan considers his nemesis Clout acted as if he was helping big Dan, but he had ulterior motives. Little Dan was just lucky to get the property back. When he start selling his apples that Calla named Ruby slipper everyone loves them and cannot get enough well everyone except for Calla and a new resident name Emily her and her wife recently bought a house next to the river she not only cannot eat apples she’s also afraid of water this is why she decides to conquer her fear and go sit in a kayak next to the dock when the kayak gets loose she tries to grab a hold of the dock and she fell in the water. Thankfully she had on the life preserver and this is why she found herself a little down river by a tree but it didn’t explain why when she took her foot out of the river it had a skull attached to it. This is what brings John Compass to the area and he becomes good friends with Emily something her controlling wife Meg doesn’t like. There’s so much more to this but I haven’t even told half the story there’s also a woman named Joni who I didn’t like at all she had a horrible attitude and I know she was supposed to be likable but I didn’t like her whatsoever. I did like her husband Gram he seem nice there’s a lot more to the story as I said then I put in this review if I wrote everything that was in the book it would be a whole Nother story on its own this book is super long but so worth reading those magic murder small-town politics not to mention the gossip and so much more this is a great great novel and one I definitely highly recommend this is an awesome awesome read. I haven’t even mentioned what happens when you eat the apples nor did I mention Calla’s boyfriend who she calls Eminem who broke his leg and heal very quickly. There’s just so much to this book there’s no way I could do a good summary just know if you love supernatural with great storytelling then you definitely want to read Black River Orchard

I usually do not read the acknowledgements at the end of a book but this time I was drawn to this section. What I read about how the author came up with this story is nothing short of true imagination. He claimed that everyone has weirdness in them and we should all embrace it. I could not agree more especially after reading this book. The premise started out simple; the search for apples. Then the story becomes something so much more. I saw in this story corruption: of people, land and animals. I also saw how someone must have some darker parts to them to lose all sense of right and wrong. I saw evil try as hard as they could to get their way. I read about families that could be supportive or destructive depending on how sides were chosen. I read a book that shows how perseverance works on both sides of evil vs. good. I saw hope and belief that people can change and be either better or worse. I read how easily people can be waged to believe in something/someone even when the belief goes against everything they stand for. I read how family is what one makes it either by blood or the trauma one has been through. Most of all I read how humans really do not know the full extent of what goes on around us….whether by our choosing or forces we do not know about.

This was by far my favorite horror book so far this year. I think that this made me believe that even the unbelievable could become believable.

An apple was blamed for Adam and Eve's expulsion from Eden. So are apples inherently evil? It sure seems that way in this new horror story from Chuck Wendig. Dan Paxson is excited to have gotten scions from a rare apple tree to create an orchard--his dream and his father's before him. Maybe now he can restore honor to the family name. It takes five years but finally the first harvest is ready. The apple his daughter names the Ruby Slipper (There's no place like home!) is a huge hit. People cannot get enough of them, almost like they are addicted. But a few holdouts sense evil lurking there...

Building horror make this a perfect read for the fall season. Truly creepy and pretty gory at a times. Good character development makes you love to hate the evil guys and root for the resistance on the edge of your seat. My favorite was John Compass, the ex-army sniper turned Quaker pacifist. I loved his courage and loyalty to his friends.

I received an arc from the author and publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

I’ve said this before, horror books don’t scare me anymore. So a book has to have a really good story and keep you on the edge of your seat. This is one of those books. A good story that keeps you reading. It didn’t feel like it was 500+ pages either. I liked the premise (apple orchard, small town, all hell breaks loose). I thought it was original (and educational) and creepy with some humor thrown in. Definitely a must read.

Thanks NetGalley for the Arc!

First, I'm currently sleep deprived because I couldn't put the book down towards the last 90%.
The first 50%? Almost abandoned the book.

The "introductory stage" where we meet all the characters dragged on too much for my liking. Ya know the type of book where it's fine reading, but then you put it down for, ya know- life? Then when your options are tiktok or tv or reading.... this book did not beat out the former two. Most of the relationships fell flat which could have caused my boredom in the first half. I just didn't feel any feely-vibes between any of them (apart from Joanie and Graham). The book just felt so blah in the beginning, but I have enjoyed the authors' other books so kept going.

I did find the idea fascinating. I enjoyed the main characters development (Dan Paxson) especially in his daughter's POV and wish that would have gone deeper. Heck I could have gotten rid of like five characters just to get down deep in this guy's desperation.

A crackling story filled with engaging characters and of course magic apples. There are many elements to this book that you will love and hate, but the author blends them all together for one blasting story.
Many thanks to Random House and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion

I’m a huge fan of Chuck Wendig. His novel Wanderers is one of my top favorite books. His The Book of Accidents scared the bejeezes out of me. Invasive had me seeing killer ants everywhere.

But folks, Chuck surpassed himself with Black River Orchard. I will never be able to eat another red apple again. Maybe no other apples. Or if I do, it may not be for some time.

Chuck Wendig is bats**t crazy! This book is bonkers!! He even explains in his author note that he knows he’s weird and that this book is weird.

And I couldn’t turn away. I admit I read most of this in the daylight. I knew going in that this book was Horror with a capital H. I didn’t realize how much. For the first third of the book, I thought, oh this isn’t so bad. I can handle this. The last third had me putting my kindle down to slow my heart down. I felt like I needed to hide my eyes behind my fingers like you would in a scary movie. (Doesn’t work that way in books, does it?!)

In a small town there is a new orchard with seven apple trees that produces the most luscious deep dark red apples that the townsfolk can’t get enough of. And then everything changes.

I don’t want to go into any other details without giving away spoilers, but suffice it to say…. If you read only one scary book for the Halloween season, it needs to be Black River Orchard.

*Thanks so much to Del Rey Books and to NetGalley for the gifted advance eGalley!*

I am kicking myself for not reading Wendig before now. This is a cleverly crafted horror novel about what happens what some apples go bad - love the metaphor here, too. This book has so many layers and unique characters. Some I loved and rooted for, while others I loved to hate. I don’t want to say much about the plot because I think mystery should unfold while reading, but I think it had lots of details and made this an easily believable horror world. There weren’t any plot holes or missing details that made me feel lost. Instead, I was gripped for all 500+ pages of this novel. Can’t wait to tackle his backlist some day.

Black River Orchard is horror story that will make you both love and fear something you would never expect: apples. It's a wild ride from start to finish that is sure to keep you turning the page as if your life depends on it. Chuck Wendig has a very specific style to his horror books, and if you like his style, then you will certainly have a fantastic time Black River Orchard.

Black River Orchard is basically about a town where some apple trees start bearing magic apples that people eat, become addicted to, and weird shit starts happening. That's honestly all you really need to know going into this book. Also, you will learn a lot about apples, probably more than you really need to know, but honestly I enjoy having this excessive apple knowledge at this point. I also want to go try a lot of apples now. Anyway, let's get to the review!

We largely follow Dan, developer of the problematic magic apples, and his daughter, Calla, who consistently puts up with her dad's apple obsession. We also meet some additional POV characters, such as: Meg and Emily, a married couple who recently moved to town; Graham and Joanie, another married couple that live in town, though they actually rent their house out fairly often and also live in a nearby city; and lastly, a man named John Compass who ends up having quite a history that ties in well with other events in the town. It's a pretty large cast, as most of Wendig's novels tend to be, and we spend plenty of time getting to know all of them. A cast this large can often feel overwhelming and hard to keep track of, but Wendig works his magic and somehow creates individual, unique characters with distinct storylines and personalities that makes it easy to follow along.

When Dan's magic apples start making the rounds, people in town start losing their minds a bit (and by "a bit," I mean absolutely, completely going crazy). Calla is one of the few who hasn't eaten an apple and it stuck trying to figure out what is going on, as well as how to stop it. This is a pretty intense story at times, and there's plenty of gore and gross things that happen along the way as people become more and more addicted to the apples, which leads to a culmination of events that are difficult to comprehend. In addition to the present day apple issues, there are additional layers to this story including past events that combine John Compass' storyline with the present. Everything happening in this town has a long history that goes back to intertwine with the indigenous Lenape peoples that previously lived on the land, and I really love how Wendig managed to tie all of this together.

Wendig has a very verbose style of writing and pacing that really takes its time to set up the story, allow characters to develop, and build tension, which all works really well creating a slow burned and complex horror story that never leaves a moment for boredom. I love how much time and effort Wendig puts into developing his characters, as well as how much detail is put into developing history and background for both them and the setting. There's an ever-present creepiness that permeates the entire atmosphere of the story and really leaves the feeling of not knowing what to expect.

Black River Orchard is a very "on brand" story for Wendig when compared to his other work, and while part of me really loves that, I also somehow felt as though I'd read this book before or parts of it just felt very familiar. I always have a great time with the crazy stories that Wendig takes us on, but I find I really have to be in the mood for a lot of side journeys and what feels like a bit of rambling at times (it's not actually rambling because everything plays into the plot, but it just feels like a lot of digressions) in order to fully appreciate his work. If you've read Wendig before and know whether you like his style or not then you'll probably have a good idea if this book will work for you or not.

If you like a slow burn horror that unleashes creepiness at every corner and has a constant sense of unease, then Black River Orchard is the perfect fit. For me, it didn't end up clicking as much as some of his other books, but I still had a great time with it and will certainly be giving all of my apples a suspicious glance before I eat them now...

*I received a copy of Black River Orchard courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

Do you like apples? Do you have a favorite variety? Granny Smith? Gala? Honey Crisp? Braeburn? In Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig he gives us a wicked tale of one certain apple.

"Dan Paxson has never felt like much. But now he has his own orchard of special apples. Apples that make him feel stronger and powerful. People are begging for his apples. But there's always a price..."

Wendig takes a common fruit - the apple - and makes you afraid of it. At least the one that Dan Paxson grows - the Ruby Red Slipper. The craziness begins slowly but crests in a wild ending. The book is long but the chapters are short. Lots of characters but Wendig makes it easy to keep up. Lomg wrapup at the end which is unusual but nice to see where certain characters landed.

Some interesting notes from the author in the acknowledgements. Horror fans will love this one. Wild story from Wendig.

Dan Paxson’s apples are like nothing else the folks of his home town have ever seen.

His daughter Calla dubs them “Ruby Slipper” apples, because they make you feel like there’s no place like home. Or so most of the other folks around Bucks County, Pennsylvania say. Calla wouldn’t know. She hasn’t tried one, but damn near everyone else has. Free samples at the farmer’s market will get folks’ attention, after all. Dan says that he developed them himself, grown from scionwood grafted onto existing trees.

Maybe they’re a miracle. Maybe they’re something else. You see, no one in town really knows why the judge decided to change an old ruling and cede the land the orchard occupies back to Dan. No one alive, anyway. Still, the orchard that had been his father’s dream is now his reality. Calla isn’t a fan of apples, preferring to focus on her boyfriend Marco, his track career, their upcoming application to Princeton, and life anywhere outside of Bucks County. Still, if her dad’s weird hobby turns out to drive her social media follower numbers up, so be it. She’s a born influencer, after all.

The discovery of a corpse downstream from the Paxson’s orchard stirs things up, though. There’s a mystery lurking in Bucks County, and Calla is starting to get nervous. Could her dad be responsible for the man’s death? Who would kill someone over an apple tree? Why is her dad not sleeping? Why is everyone in town suddenly so addicted to the Ruby Slipper? Calla is having a difficult time knowing who to trust anymore.

There’s an evil lurking in Bucks County, and it may have just found a new outlet.

Chuck Wendig has knocked it out of the park with Black River Orchard. He’s had a knack for horror writing for years, as evidenced by the runaway success of Wanderers back in 2019. His latest book showcases his own love of heirloom apples and a frightening amount of research into the process of cultivating new varieties, as well as a deep understanding of the sheer horror potential of a rural area. I absolutely loved this book, and I hope you do too.

I don’t know that I can eat another apple any time soon, though.

Black River Orchard is available to purchase as of today, 9/26/23. My utmost thanks to Random House/Ballantine and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for a fair review.

This review originally appeared here: https://swordsoftheancients.com/2023/09/26/black-river-orchard-a-review/

I love Chuck Wendig! I don’t think that I’ve read any of his work and not rated it 5 stars. Black River Orchard is another chunky, slow building story but there is so much going, that you never find yourself bored.

Dan Paxton is struggling to make his late father’s dream of owning a successful orchard reality, until he finds *the* apple tree needed to graft and produce in his orchard. The result is a beautiful, nearly black apple that tastes incredible. He takes his bounty to the local farmers market to sell to the town of Harrow. All it takes is one bite and you’re addicted. Not only does it taste delectable, but it has healing properties unlike anything you’ve ever seen - your vision increases, you become more youthful, you’re stronger, faster, those aches and pains in your back and joints? GONE. Nearly everyone wants them and they’re soon treating Dan differently. He used to be looked down upon, treated shitty, ignored, but now he’s being inducted into a secret club, being treated as one of the elite. The apple trees have transformed his life, there’s no doubt they’re different than any other apple before, they even produce in the off season! Dan finds not only is he physically changing but he’s also climbing to the top of the social tower in his community, leading his little cult of apple eaters and searching out those who don’t eat the apple, including his very own daughter Calla. The repercussions for refusing the apple are grave. That sweet little old lady you see in church, your neighbor, grocery store cashier and mail man… they’ve all become harmful, hostile monsters and they’re looking to expand their orchard and take over the world.

Aside from Dan’s POV, we have several non-apple eaters who are trying to stop Dan and his evil apple: John, an apple hunter who’s best friend and fellow apple hunter Walter went missing, Calla, Meg, a new town resident and Joanie, who’s moved back to the area with her husband. I enjoyed everyone’s POVs and didn’t find myself disinterested at any time during the book. As always, Wendig’s work is written in a way that makes me want more despite the fact that it’s usually a big ass book, because it’s just so good! On a side note, I never thought I would learn so much about apples 🤣

TLDR: I loved it, you’ll love it… read the damn book!

Black River Orchard is available today. A big thank you to Del Rey for sending me my finished copy along with several apple-y goodies! 🖤🍎

Chuck Wendig is an author that I will read anything he writes. Black River Orchard did not disappoint! It is a perfect fall/Halloween season book. You will never look or think about an apple tree/apples in the same way. It is also a hefty read coming in at close to 550 pages. It is not a book that I will soon forget.

I felt the characters were well developed. I liked the people we are supposed to like and the enemies are easy to dislike. The characters hit many diversity groups. The book also covers many current society issues. I did appreciate that the book did not get into the authors personal political views. I will knock off a star or two if a book gets to pushing political views, left or right.

I would highly recommend buying Black River Orchard! Mr. Wendig is a masterful storyteller. It is a long book but it moved along well.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of Black River Orchard. #NetGalley #ChuckWendig #BlackRiverOrchard

Wendig immerses us in the world of Dan Paxson, an ambitious farmer who hopes the rare apple he introduces will be the key to the fortune his father always wanted. What follows is a nightmarish descent into the madness and evil of desperate desire. Dan's daughter Calla bands with others to fight for their lives. The book is a page-turner with engaging characters and dialogue and a nagging sense of foreboding.