Ushers" by Joe Hill is a captivating and thought-provoking work of fiction that delves into the realm of the supernatural and the complexities of human existence. The story follows Martin, a man who possesses the unique ability to see the Ushers, the angels of death that guide individuals to their final moments.
Hill's masterful storytelling weaves a narrative that is both thrilling and emotionally resonant. The book's premise, which centers around Martin's interviews with two police detectives as they try to uncover how he managed to escape death twice, sets the stage for a compelling exploration of the line between life and death, the nature of mortality, and the power of human resilience.
The author's use of the "Ushers" concept, a deeply intriguing and original take on the idea of death personified, adds a layer of mysticism and wonder to the story.
As Martin recounts his experiences, the reader is drawn into a world where the supernatural and the mundane coexist, and the boundaries between the two become increasingly blurred. One of the book's standout strengths lies in its character development. Martin is a complex and multifaceted protagonist, whose struggles to come to terms with his extraordinary gift and the emotional toll it takes on his life are vividly portrayed.
The interactions between Martin and the detectives, as they navigate the intricate details of his experiences, are rich with psychological depth and nuance. Moreover, "Ushers" expertly balances elements of suspense, horror, and existential contemplation, creating a reading experience that is both thrilling and thought-provoking.
Hill's writing is compelling, with a sharp attention to detail and an ability to craft scenes that linger in the reader's mind long after the last page is turned. Overall,
"Ushers" is a captivating and insightful work of fiction that challenges the reader's perceptions of life, death, and the unseen forces that shape the human experience. Joe Hill's masterful storytelling and the book's unique premise make it a must-read for fans of the supernatural and those who appreciate fiction that delves into the deeper questions of existence.

*Thank you to the publisher of "This was written for you" for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.*

Like all things Joe Hill, this short story causes shivers.

I love how his mind works. He imagines deeply immersive stories and then knows precisely when to withhold detail and when to overwhelm us with detail.

In Ushers, Hill introduces Martin Lorensen. While the Feds wonder if he's some sort of violent threat, Lorensen defends himself with an alternative - and in many ways, far more disturbing - truth.

I highly recommend you read this incredible short story.

My thanks to Amazon Original stories, Joe Hill and Netgalley.
I enjoyed this shorty. I usually pass on short stories and wait until its published with others. So when I saw this up for grabs on Netgalley, I took it!
I'll confess that I have a soft spot for Joe. How could I not? He's prolific as heck and I believe he can be "at times" just as good a writer as his father. They both know how to do characters and that's freaking important as anything else to me.
I ended up with tears in my eyes after reading this. Poor Martin.
Yeah, I kinda loved this one.

A young man (Martin) finds himself talking with two special agents after he decides not to get on a train that ends up crashing. The agents question why he didn’t get on the train and also bring up a school shooting that happened when Martin was younger. Martin ends up telling one of the agents the truth about both instances and another instance that occurred. This was semi spooky, but gave grim reaper vibes. It was a short and fast read and my first book by this author. Definitely want to check out his other books.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Joe Hill continues to prove that he is one of, if not the best short stories writer's in all of fiction. Ushers is an incredible story that doesn't waste a single word and is utterly gripping from the first word to the very last, and it's also the kind of story I end up thinking about hours and days later.

Thanks to Amazon Original Stories and Netgalley for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.

Just as creepy as I expect from Joe Hill. The building sense of dread, the drinking...should have seen the ending coming well before it arrived. Yet, I didn't. The execution was perfect.

What an excellent short story! I was intrigued by the whole story and found the end to be a perfect conclusion.

Ushers is a short story by Joe Hill, which follows two police officers in the midst of investigating a train derailment. The focus of their investigation is Martin Lorenson, a 23 year old who seemingly preempted and survived the accident.

This was a fast paced short story, that managed to create believable main characters in a short space of time. It reminded me of the films Final Destination, with hints of Unbreakable and The Sixth Sense.

Overall, it was a really enjoyable read that, whilst having a slightly predictable ending, kept you gripped to the end.

Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon Original Stories and Joe Hill for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ushers by Joe Hill

Officers Duvall and Oates have the unenviable task of questioning Martin Lorenson. His ability to escape death leaves the detectives wondering if he is somehow involved in some catastrophic events in the community. Upon meeting Martin, he appears to be a level-headed individual with unbelievable luck. He managed to avoid tragedy twice. Unbelievably, his anxiety is his savior from the clutches of harm. Diving down into a rabbit hole of Martin's history, more peculiarities come to the surface. Is Martin a drug dealer? Did he supply them to the train engineer before the tragedy? What about the school shooter?

Feeling like I was eating a sample from my local Costco, I digested a small taste of Joe Hill's world. My expectations were unclear, but I devoured this story with delight. Unfortunately, I do not have any other Hill writing to compare it to, but this story left me wanting more. I enjoy the thrilling experience of analyzing the presented case and reconstructing the pieces to reach a satisfactory conclusion. In my mind, I am a member of the task force. This particular tale comes with a twist that I didn't see coming. The ending where I admitted, Mr. Hill, you got me, and for that, I will gladly read more from you in the future.

Looking back, I think this was the ideal appetizer. The story was brief yet rich in substance and depth. I highly recommend it as a starting point for anyone exploring Joe Hill's work. I'm giving it 4 out of 5 stars!

Many thanks to Amazon Original Stories for the ARC through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this short story in return for my honest thoughts.

When cops come around to question a young man who has now narrowly avoided two mass death events to see if he's responsible, he essentially pleads the fifth and chalks it up to anxiety. When the cop runs into him again, he opens up a bit more and a more sinister truth comes to light.

I would have loved to see a little bit more about this world, but in general it was a great short story. It read like a play to me, and I thought it did a good job of setting the scene and letting us get to know the characters as people. It didn't overcomplicate things or leave us unnecessarily in the dark.

Ushers, by the talented Joe Hill, is a glistening chunk of horror delivered as a compulsively readable short story. The subject is Martin Lorensen, a hardly noticeable young man who works with disturbed teenagers. Why is he being interviewed by the FBI? When he was a teenager, he survived a school shooting. And now he’s a surviver of a fatal train crash. He bought a ticket and then refused to board the train. How does he know that fatal events are about to happen? Do you really want to know how? Joe Hill will tell you in a way the will leave you looking behind you for a long time. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon Original Stories and Joe Hill for this ARC.

Fantastic, bittersweet, and creepy short story from a contemporary master of horror. A really interesting look at death, with amazingly good character development in such a short page count.

Ok so normally I don’t like novellas and I always need more to get into but this one was the exception.
I loved this one. Are the Ushers the bad guys or good guys… makes you think. Well written!

This was a nice quick read, if a bit derivative. It had a satisfying ending that connected all the threads.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)

“It’s not illegal to get high on Jesus, is it?”

“Be a mammal.”

A cool novella. Reminded me of an episode of The Twilight Zone.

The book really set the atmosphere pretty effortlessly and the ending had a smooth transition too which was nice because both of these things can be difficult with such a short story.

I definitely think this one is worth checking out.

The audio narrator was a good match for this book too.

Despite the interesting premise, I found the execution of this short story unsuccessful. The characters felt very bland and one-dimensional, and I found it difficult to connect with any of them. The dialogue lacked a sincerity and humanity to it, which is especially unfortunate considering this relied much more heavily on dialogue than on exposition or description. This was most noticeable in Martin's character, who was intended to be 23 but came across much older in the way he spoke, barring a few pop culture references. The plot was painfully predictable; as soon as the ushers were introduced to the story, it became exceedingly obvious how the story would end. Marketing this as horror just doesn't feel like an accurate reflection of the work and perhaps influenced my expectations in a way that was inevitably going to leave me disappointed.

I haven't read any of Joe Hill's other work, and while I would give his writing a second chance, I'm afraid this was a less than impressive introduction.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Masterful! What a well woven short story. The creep factor is excellent. It still has me feeling a shiver coming on. The story is engaging it keeps you glued to the pages. Kind of gives Final Destination vibes.

This is a very short story by Joe Hill. It kind of has “Final Destination” vibes. Martin is being interviewed by the police because he declined to board a train that then derailed and killed 28 people. The police officers also know that he skip school the day of a mass shooting where a large number of his classmates died. They want to know what his deal is and when Martin shares his visions with one of the police officers, they get some clarity.

I love me some Joe Hill, so I was happy to read one of his short stories. He’s a really good storyteller and this quick little story lived up to my expectations.

Thanks to Net Galley & Amazon Original Stories for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A creepy little brain-break of a story. This one gets at your psyche. It left me with a lingering chill and a million “what if” thoughts!

The audiobook is narrated by Leon Nixon. His voice feels fitting to the cop characterization. He is easily understood at faster speeds.

Thank you NetGalley, Brilliance Publishing, Amazon Original Stories, and author Joe Hill for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first Joe Hill read and I’ve only heard great things. It was a fun and easy read but it was predictable. It might not have been a good start to his work but I liked the writing still and look forward to reading a full length novel.