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.

I love Chuck Wendig and this was no different! It was dark, unique and thrilling. I loved the characters and all the literary elements. Definitely a well written fall story!

You'll never look at an apple the same way again. Black River Orchard gives you a glimpse of the chaos that must live inside Chuck Wendig's brain, in the very best way.

In the small town named Harrow, a dead-broke, down on his luck orchard owner gets much more than he bargained for with his new crop of apples. The apples themselves are a huge hit with customers; as soon as they finish one, they immediately crave another. Plus, consuming the apples has other benefits, besides the taste. Townsfolk who eat them are suddenly finding themselves changing, and all their small imperfections disappearing. But something more than tree roots lies in the soil of the orchard, and it hungers for more.

I adored this book. I know it might seem long, but the chapters are short and the pages fly by. There's some allegory in the story, and some very smart observations, but above all else, Black River Orchard is unsettling. Put this book on your Spooky Season TBR, immediately! Thank you to Netgalley and Del Rey Books for the chance to review this advance copy. Black River Orchard is available for purchase everywhere you buy books now!

I love reading his books! He never disappoints and his latest horror story is truly a freaking masterpiece.
Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig

Wendig has crafted such a dark and creepy tale.

The writing is excellent- no surprise there- and there is a great mix of character development and plot.
His writing style is so different and brilliant. In such a way that works magic!
The writing style is incredibly unique! And I freaking love it.
If you are true fan of the horror genre, this book is an outstanding gift to the literature world.

Black River Orchard is creative. It’s unputdownable. And it’s damn good!
This book is magnificent and if you’re a fan of his previous titles you’ll love his newest.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Random House, Ballantine & Del Rey for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I’ve never been so glad to be one of those people who really only likes apples in baked goods. Really.

I’ve also never had an opportunity to flex my geography degree in regards to Quakers, Pennsylvania, and the apple (yes, geography has a ton to do with the apple–geography has a ton to do with everything) while reading a book so much before.

This book was fabulous. Absolutely, positively, fan-flipping fantastic. Did I have moments when I thought the characters were dumb? Yes. Did I find some parts predictable? Sure. Do I care? Not one bit. This is horror on some kind of quasi-epic scale, because even though the meat of this book doesn’t take place over longer than maybe a traditional school year, the story itself is epic in scale, owing to how far back in time it truly stretches and how pervasive the horror truly is.

If you’re looking for a book that feels like autumn, this book fits the bill: Trees, rushing river, crisp air, leaves falling and gathering on the ground waiting to be blown away into large piles, apples ripe and round on their branches, flies glutting themselves on the last of the rotting summer berries, that feeling of susurration and suspension when the earth is settling down before it goes dormant for winter.

Writing about apples somehow always becomes a partially sensual and sinful endeavor. Wendig writes evocatively when people take bites out of the apples, making sure we know exactly how the juice gushes out, how it runs down their chins, their arms, sometimes further down. How it glistens and coats their skin. He writes about how exactly they take their bite, sometimes revealing their sin: an angry bite, a greedy bite, a lusty bite, etcetera. Not only are these apples cursed with the gift of a certain type of knowledge, but they are sin incarnate, revealing the hidden monsters inside all those who partake.

The characters are so explosively unique and wonderful on both sides of the story. It’s definitely never a story where you want to root for the bad guy or anything, but the antagonists in this book are more than what they seem, and the evil stretches.

I loved the ongoing themes of sin, white supremacy, misogyny, right-wing conservatism, conservation, colonialism, and fallen idols. It’s just a fantastic book and I can’t say anymore or I’ll start spoiling things. I just recommend you give it a try!

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: 5 Star Review/Body Horror/Cult Horror/Folk Horror/Historical Fiction/Horror/Occult Fiction/Occult Horror/Psychological Thriller

I really liked the premise of this book. The orchard is super creepy, and the vibes are dark and disturbing. Especially once the people chowing down on those apples begin to act strange. However, the book felt way too long for me, and while I liked most of the characters we follow, especially Calla, I didn't care if any, with the exception of one of the apple eaters, survived.

Once we get closer to the end and stuff really starts to hit the fan with the apple-eating peoples things really start to take off and get weird in the best way. This book gave all the perfect vibes for the upcoming spooky season, and I will definitely be taking a second look at any apple orchards I happen to visit or drive by.. and since I live in Michigan where there are quite a few, I'll be doing that a lot!

Genre: Horror
Length: 544 pages
My Rating: 4.25 stars
Read If You: liked Salem’s Lot by Stephen King, are looking for a scary book this spooky szn

Wait, what even was that?!?! What a wild ride. “Black River Orchard” is absolutely unhinged, batshit, and scary. An evil orchard and an addictive apple. Buckle up, my friends.

If you like Stephen King, I think you’ll enjoy this book. The town, Harrow, reminded me a bit of “Salem’s Lot” and how the city itself became its own character. Chuck Wendig told the story through various perspectives (like King) including from the POV of a farm cat. The alternating points of view build the general feeling of unease as more townsfolk become obsessed with the apple.

There were so many elements in this story that made it scary. Wendig would insert the character’s intrusive thoughts in the middle of a sentence. This reminded me of “The Shining”! It was creepy and created even more anxiety.

I really, really liked this book! I read Wendig’s “The Book of Accidents” a couple of years ago but I think I like his latest even more. I know I’ve drawn some similarities between Black River Orchard and some of Stephen King’s works but I think Chuck Wendig stands on his own. Is he the new king of horror? I think it’s definitely possible!

As much as I enjoyed the book, I don’t think it’s for everyone! “Black River Orchard” is super dark and gory at times. Wendig inserts humor throughout the book to help cut the tension a bit. If you like to be scared- this one is for you! I promise you’ll hesitate to pick up the next apple you see.

Black River Orchard is out today (9/26)!! Thank you @netgalley and @delreybooks for the ARC. Can’t wait to read more from Chuck Wendig!

When choosing my next read the first thing I note is the author. When I see Chuck Wendig's name on a title, I expect an outstanding horror story that will raise many, many questions at the end. With BLACK RIVER ORCHARD, I got that and so much more. The town of Harrow, with all of it's twisted history, is a major character in the story. How a man with the best intentions, will grow an apple orchard in this corrupted/ contaminated soil and the fruit will lead Harrow's residents to discover the worst of themselves. I've seen many readers compare BRO to several of Stephen King's titles and I'd agree, but Wendig is no slouch at writing himself. He can definitely hit all the same "feels" as King and bring readers to a conclusion that they may not be exactly comfortable with. The book may seem long at 544 pages, but you really need this to get the full experience. Just be sure to give yourself plenty of reading time when you start.

This book is another very large one by this author. He write beautifully but sometimes it's just too much. I don't even know how to describe this book at all.

I'm always excited when Chuck Wendig has a new book coming out, and BLACK RIVER ORCHARD was no exception. I always know a couple of things to expect when Wendig has a new novel. The first is that it is probably going to be long, and therefore a time commitment. The second is that while it will be a time commitment, it will be engaging enough that it will go fast. And the third is that it would no doubt be filled with both horror and heart. and BLACK RIVER ORCHARD met all my expectations, and then some, and has probably cemented itself as my favorite of his books so far. I loved the slow build of suspense as a small community starts to be completely entranced by some mysterious and sinister apples, their physical strength improving but their personalities changing for the worse. I loved getting into the heads of the people who haven't eaten the apples and are watching a strange and incomprehensible threat build up around them. I loved even getting into the heads of some of those who DO have bad intentions as the apples change their psyches (or perhaps they were ALWAYS a problem and the apple just exacerbated it more, in some cases). And I loved the gruesome moments of body horror as well as the real life horrors of group think and cult like behavior and what it means for those who don't wish to conform. There are lots of threads that Wendig creates but he pulls them all together effortlessly. I makes for a very enjoyable horror novel that also has characters that give you some hope.

BLACK RIVER ORCHARD is a must read for horror fans this Autumn. Maybe avoid the apple orchard. Or maybe don't. It's up to you.

There's something new at the farmer's market in the town of Harrow this season.
Dan Paxon, having reclaimed his father's land and his father's dream, has brought to market a most unusual apple. At first, there isn't much interest in it until Dan's daughter Calla, who aspires to be a social media influencer, tells Dan to hand out free samples. One taste is all it takes to have nearly everyone in town clamoring for more. Soon, the apples are selling out faster than Dan can harvest them. Those who've eaten them have begun to change. They're more focused, faster, stronger, healthier, and ...meaner. They're more aggressive, dangerous, and deadly.

I love small town horror. Black River Orchard delivers a diverse cast of characters that drive the story forward from multiple points of view, including the small group of people (and a cat! I loved the cat) who have refused to eat the apple and are aware that something evil is afoot. The first half of this book held me spellbound as the effects of the apple took hold of the town and its history was revealed. The middle seemed to stretch on more slowly and I was longing for those who knew the apple was dangerous to get on with whatever they were going to do about it. The final third of the book not only picked up the pace but was sheer unmitigated suspense and horror.
I would love to see this jump from my kindle screen to the big screen. It deserves to be a blockbuster movie. Horror fans are getting tired of stale sequels and reboots.

The nitty-gritty: Evil apples take on the residents of a small town in Chuck Wendig's latest, a tension-filled, bloody tale of survival. 

You say you’re looking for a story about evil apples? Well look no further. Black River Orchard is Chuck Wendig’s ode to apples, and not your garden variety, grocery store apples like Red Delicious or Honeycrisp. The apples in this tale come from a dark place, coaxed into existence by some very bad people. I had a great time with this book, which has so many elements that I love: a big cast of characters (both good and bad), an intriguing idea, lots of gross-out horror late in the story, danger, tension and even a thoroughly developed history surrounding the apples in question. In short, it’s a Wendig story from start to finish. My only complaint is that it felt a bit longer than it needed to be, but that might just be my impatient side talking.

We first meet Dan Paxton the night he brings home some branches from an apple tree. He tells his daughter Calla the branches are their “future.” At the time, we don’t know how Dan acquired the branches, but don’t worry, Wendig explains all later on. Five years later, Calla is seventeen and Dan’s small apple orchard has finally produced fruit. The apple, called the Ruby Slipper, is a huge hit when Dan sells them at the local farmer’s market, and before long people are clambering to eat Dan’s apples. Dan himself feels better than he’s ever felt before. With every apple he eats, he seems to grow younger and stronger. Heck, he doesn’t even need his glasses anymore. But when Calla tries an apple, it has the opposite effect on her. She swears she feels something squirming between her teeth, and when she spits it out, the apple is crawling with flies.

As Dan continues to change—and not in a good way—Calla knows something is up. The Ruby Slipper seems to be spreading, and Calla wonders if it can be stopped, before everyone in town is affected.

In addition to Dan and Calla, Wendig introduces the rest of his main cast, whose lives become intertwined. Meg and Emily are a married couple who have just bought a house by the river. Their marriage is already in danger, and it gets worse when Meg eats her first apple. Emily makes friends with an older man named John Compass after she falls in the river and inadvertently discovers a dead body. The body just happens to be John’s good friend Walt, who was hunting for a "forgotten" apple when he disappeared. I thought John was the driving force of the novel, a man who is trying to solve the murder of his friend, and at the same time, he discovers the mysteries behind the horrors of the Ruby Slipper and plays a big part in vanquishing that evil.

We also meet Joanie and Graham, a married couple who rent their McMansion out for sexual play. Joanie and Graham aren’t well loved in their conservative community, but tragedy forces Joanie to join forces with Calla, Emily and John, and the four soon realize they might be the only ones left who aren’t influenced by Dan’s evil apples. This is one of those stories where sides are drawn early on, and it’s up to the good guys to stop the bad guys before all hell breaks loose.

Wendig’s story is complex and multilayered. In addition to the story playing out in the present, he delves into the past and shows the origins of the apple–at one time called the Harrowblack—and how it originally had ties to the indigenous Lenape. Over the years, the apple was lost, but Dan Paxton was able to revive it, which turned out to be a terrible idea. I also loved Wendig’s passion for his subject matter and his vivid descriptions of apples and their taste, texture and smell. I’ve always loved his writing, and it really shines in Black River Orchard.

As for the horror aspects of the story, Wendig gets very creative and even gives his readers some hard core body horror. Imagine an orchard of tree people—people who have become one with the earth, with branches and roots piercing their bodies—and you’ll get a taste of what’s in store. Yes, the apple can cure illness and make you feel younger, but it also worms its way into your soul, changing you in other, terrible ways. Good thing I’m not a big fan of apples to begin with!

As usual, Wendig gives his readers a character driven story. I loved Calla, a young social media influencer who has her heart set on going to Princeton when she graduates high school. She and her father have always been close, so it was tough to watch Dan change into (literally) a different person. John is driven by his loyalty to Walt and is determined to uncover the mystery of his death. Of course, he finds something much worse while investigating. As for Emily, I have to admit I didn’t like her at first. She is expected to be the “housewife” in her relationship with Meg, and she doesn’t seem to think she can do any better than that. Plus Meg is simply awful to her and I couldn't stand her. I didn’t agree with some of the choices Emily made in the story, but I was pleased at the end when she finally does the right thing.

Black River Orchard is a well told tale of good versus evil, and bonus, I learned a lot about apples as well. This book is perfect for spooky season, and fans of Chuck Wendig won't be disappointed.

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.

I learned about Chuck Wendig through his blog Terribleminds. He's intelligent and very funny with a big heart. His blog makes me laugh while also cutting to the core of meaningful issues like artificial intelligence, the writing life, the perils of social media, and COVID-19. He's a smarty-pants and seems to be a genuinely good soul.

For such a nice person, he writes some very dark books, like his well-received apocalyptic novel 'Wanderers' and his supernatural family drama 'The Book of Accidents.' Like Stephen King, he creates characters you care about and then really messes with them. Hard. In addition to his horror novels, he's also written comics, games, and fantasy novels, and he wrote 'Star Wars: Aftermath' which was a NY Times bestseller.

His latest is 'Black River Orchard.' It's a book only he could have written because this dude is obsessed with apples. He explains in his author's note that he previously did not like apples. Which... fair. If you only get Red Delicious apples at the grocery store — blech. But then he discovered heirloom apples from small orchards. And that kicked off this story and his love affair with tasty apples.

This book is about apples that are so irresistibly delicious they ruin everyone's lives.

We meet the residents of a small town in Pennsylvania, and even before the whole apple situation, each of them is haunted by something in their history. It's a compelling ensemble cast anchored by a feisty teenage girl and her father. There's also a modern-day Johnny Appleseed with a Past, capital P, a lesbian couple from the city trying to make a fresh start, and a free-spirited woman named Joanie who has the town clutching at its proverbial pearls.

The deadly Ruby Slipper apples are at the dark heart of the story, but it's also about family secrets and the snobbiness you can find in small towns. There's a demon, a cult, and an apple orchard that feels like it's sentient. For all its creepiness and weirdness, this story is ultimately about love and family. I devoured it, and I loved it. It's gleefully sinister, delightfully disturbing, and so moving I got teary-eyed at a few parts. And not for nothing, it made me very hungry for apple cake and applesauce.

Chuck is doing a book tour around the US, and there will be apples from local orchards — get out there and meet him: https://terribleminds.com/ramble/2023/08/31/announcing-the-evil-apples-tour-black-river-orchard-and-me-coming-to-your-bookstore-maybe/

This book will be featured in my podcast 'The Library of Lost Time' on 29 September. Listen here: http://strongsenseofplace.com/lolts/lolt-2023-09-29/

This is my second book by Chuck Wendig and once again, I was not disappointed. The main storyline is about a single dad, Dan, who comes across an unusual type of apple and starts an orchard. He takes them to the farmers market and his daughter Calla Lily (who names it the Ruby Slipper) suggests they give some out as free samples. Unexpectedly, they're a huge hit! People are constantly craving and wanting more. The apple it seems, has mystical effects on people who consume it.

The things I like about this book are the premise, using apples as the catalyst for horror, how well we get to know the characters, their back stories, and just Wendig's writing style in general. There are multiple points of view, but it's not confusing at all, and all the different story lines mesh well together. This book is thick, but it's definitely worth the time you'll spend reading it!

My thanks to Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, Del Rey, author Chuck Wendig, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

I’ll read anything @chuck_wendig writes and BLACK RIVER ORCHARD is no exception. It’s disturbing, it’s weird in the best way, it’s just really good. It releases on Tuesday and you need to read it (and let me know so we can discuss!)

At its core (see what I did there? 🍎) this book is about a man clinging to his family property. But Dan Paxson is no John Dutton on the Yellowstone Ranch, he's a humble single-dad farmer of apples and hopes the one he's discovered will enable him to forever keep his childhood home. However, there is something tainted about this particular apple. Something insidious lurks behind every sweet bite. Something dark is sparked with every crunch...

I liked the concept of this one but felt it was too long. If it had been streamlined I think I would have enjoyed it more. Wendig likes to wax poetic about apples, at times it felt redundant and there are a lot of characters and storylines intersecting. Despite these aspects, I did enjoy Wendig's witty writing, overall. He has some excellent descriptions and prose tucked along with the apple chatter.

I also did not love the stylistic writing choices (so many parentheses) that intrude into sentences. It worked the first few times but every chapter seemed to hold multiple cases of this flawed way of writing and it made me a bit (crazy) annoyed. For this, I took the rating a half star down. It's not fun to read sentences like that over and over and removed me from the story.

On a positive note, the creepiness of the whole thing was well done and the back half of the book really takes off and I enjoyed the pace. It's like the first portion is laying down roots, the middle is painfully slow as the growth of the story begins like a seedling pushing through dirt, and then the final portion is the juicy, tasty part. I wish the entire book had been like the last bit.

I think if you're ok with wordiness about apples for the pay off of some well written gore and interesting characters, you should give this one a go. You may love it.

P.S. I found TONS of typos. Hopefully those get caught before it's officially published. There were more than I can count on both hands, which was surprising even for an ARC.