Book Review: Red River Seven by A. J. Ryan

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Red River Seven by A. J. Ryan

Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Science Fiction, Horror

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Orbit (October 10, 2023)

Length: 304 pages

Author Information: Website

Anthony Ryan does horror dystopian sci-fi? This I had to see! Writing under the pseudonym A. J. Ryan, the epic fantasy author behind books like the Raven’s Shadow and Covenant of Steel trilogies now brings us this haunting but briskly paced tale about a group of strangers who wake up on a boat with no memory of who are and no clue how they got there.

Red River Seven literally begins with a bang. A man jolts awake at the sound of the gunshot, disoriented and confused, becoming even more perturbed when he realizes the one who pulled the trigger now lies in a puddle of blood, dead by his own hand. There’s nothing on the deceased to establish his identity, save for a word tattooed on his wrist: “Conrad.” This makes the man look down at his own wrist, sees the word, “Huxley.”

Soon, it is revealed that there are five others with him on what appears to be a boat, one that is on some kind of autopilot and cannot be manually controlled. None of them can remember their names either, but all are rocking their own tattoo of a famous writer on their wrist. The others are Rhys, Plath, Pynchon, Golding, and Dickinson. As they contemplate their next steps, they come to the realization that despite their lack of personal memories, they possess the ability to recollect obscure facts. In this way, they are able to determine that each of them holds expertise in a highly specific field, apparently gathered together for a specific purpose. But what might that be? And why?

As you can imagine, I was completely hooked from the start. What sets it apart is Ryan’s remarkable talent for world-building, as anyone who has read his fantasy novels can attest. The setting of Red River Seven might not be as fleshed out, given the limited view we have through the perspectives of characters who are suffering from amnesia, but I felt the weight of the atmosphere all the same. The sensation was both immersive and claustrophobic; you could practically feel the waves of tension, dread, and mistrust emanating from the characters as they grappled with their predicament.

Of course, the premise is not exactly original, but mystery readers will feel quite at home with the way this plot unfolds. The narrative seamlessly weaves in elements of horror, evoking a sense of impending doom as this boatful of strangers chug their way towards an unknowable destination through a thick red fog. I could practically hear the chilling horror soundtrack playing in the background as events take increasingly bizarre turns—like a trilling phone breaking the silence, a robotic voice on the other end of the line issuing strange and sometimes violent instructions, or the spine-tingling, almost inhuman cries that reach them through the impenetrable mists. All that’s to say, despite the familiar themes, there are indeed some innovative takes.

When the answers finally do come, however, they might disappoint the experienced dystopian fiction reader. And the relatively short length and snappy pace of the book can also be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it was a quick read which kept me turning the pages for much of the novel, but on the other, it leaves some aspects of the ending feeling underexplored. As entertaining as it is, I also doubt it will resonate or as long or as powerfully as the author’s epic fantasy work.

Nevertheless, Red River Seven remains a thrilling read that strikes a good balance between speed and suspense, and Anthony Ryan aka A. J. Ryan has proven himself capable and flexible with many genres. While I don’t think the story itself will leave a lasting impression on me long term, reading it in the moment was undoubtedly a rollercoaster of an experience.