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We Sold Our Souls
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Horror (2018)In the 1990s, heavy metal band Dürt Würk was poised for breakout success -- but then lead singer Terry Hunt embarked on a solo career and rocketed to stardom as Koffin, leaving his fellow bandmates to rot in rural Pennsylvania.
Two decades later, former guitarist Kris Pulaski works as the night manager of a Best Western - she's tired, broke, and unhappy. Everything changes when she discovers a shocking secret from her heavy metal past: Turns out that Terry's meteoric rise to success may have come at the price of Kris's very soul.
This revelation prompts Kris to hit the road, reunite with the rest of her bandmates, and confront the man who ruined her life. It's a journey that will take her from the Pennsylvania rust belt to a Satanic rehab center and finally to a Las Vegas music festival that's darker than any Mordor Tolkien could imagine. A furious power ballad about never giving up, even in the face of overwhelming odds, We Sold Our Souls is an epic journey into the heart of a conspiracy-crazed, paranoid country that seems to have lost its very soul...where only a girl with a guitar can save us all.
Two decades later, former guitarist Kris Pulaski works as the night manager of a Best Western - she's tired, broke, and unhappy. Everything changes when she discovers a shocking secret from her heavy metal past: Turns out that Terry's meteoric rise to success may have come at the price of Kris's very soul.
This revelation prompts Kris to hit the road, reunite with the rest of her bandmates, and confront the man who ruined her life. It's a journey that will take her from the Pennsylvania rust belt to a Satanic rehab center and finally to a Las Vegas music festival that's darker than any Mordor Tolkien could imagine. A furious power ballad about never giving up, even in the face of overwhelming odds, We Sold Our Souls is an epic journey into the heart of a conspiracy-crazed, paranoid country that seems to have lost its very soul...where only a girl with a guitar can save us all.
337 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 18, 2018
About the author
Grady Hendrix
53 books24.8k followersGrady Hendrix is the author of the novels Horrorstör, about a haunted IKEA, and My Best Friend's Exorcism, which is like Beaches meets The Exorcist, only it's set in the Eighties. He's also the author of We Sold Our Souls, The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires, and the upcoming (July 13!) Final Girl Support Group!
He's also the jerk behind the Stoker award-winning Paperbacks from Hell, a history of the 70's and 80's horror paperback boom, which contains more information about Nazi leprechauns, killer babies, and evil cats than you probably need.
And he's the screenwriter behind Mohawk, which is probably the only horror movie about the War of 1812 and Satanic Panic.
You can listen to free, amazing, and did I mention free podcasts of his fiction on Pseudopod. He also does a podcast called Super Scary Haunted Homeschool.
If you're not already sick of him, you can learn all his secrets at his website.
He's also the jerk behind the Stoker award-winning Paperbacks from Hell, a history of the 70's and 80's horror paperback boom, which contains more information about Nazi leprechauns, killer babies, and evil cats than you probably need.
And he's the screenwriter behind Mohawk, which is probably the only horror movie about the War of 1812 and Satanic Panic.
You can listen to free, amazing, and did I mention free podcasts of his fiction on Pseudopod. He also does a podcast called Super Scary Haunted Homeschool.
If you're not already sick of him, you can learn all his secrets at his website.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,627 reviews
June 1, 2023
“We Sold Our Souls” by Grady Hendrix is one of the most metal-inspired novels I’ve ever read. In case you didn’t know, I’m a huge metalhead. It’s been in my veins and a part of my life for well over 20 years now and still going strong. I grew up listening to Nirvana, Korn, System of a Down, Linkin Park, and countless other bands. As I got older, I got into heavier bands of the evil variety. You know, Slayer, Behemoth, King Diamond, Cannibal Corpse, Possessed, Obituary, Death, Black Sabbath, and the list goes on.
Needless to say, I was super excited to read this novel by one of my favorite horror authors. Hendrix has given me several incredible reads as I knew going into “We Sold Our Souls” that it would be another fun thrill ride in horror. Now, before I jump into my review, let me go over some trigger warnings.
In “We Sold Our Souls” you will find situations of suicide and inappropriate touching of a female at a metal concert. If either of these triggers you, please do not read this novel. It goes get very graphic and detailed so keep that in mind.
Moving along, I completely lost my mind when I realized every chapter was a unique song title from all sorts of metal bands. I literally jumped for joy when I saw there was a REIGN IN BLOOD chapter since Slayer is my all-time favorite metal band. Speaking of which, to see them heavily mentioned in this novel was so awesome. I loved it since it’s so rare I get to read a horror novel that heavily mentions Slayer and many other of my favorite metal bands.
There are a ton of band references in this novel as well as breaking down the overall culture of what it’s like being a metalhead, preparing to go to an epic metal concert, and just all the little details behind it. I’m pretty sure Hendrix has to be a metalhead since he was completely spot on with everything that goes into being one and the fandom behind it with a great horror twist.
Oh yes, ladies and gentlemen, the horror in this novel is fantastic. I’m talking wild, insane, and totally brutal. Don’t worry, I won’t ruin or spoil anything for you but I loved all the plot twists, gore, and sheer insanity. The characters were also very well done with a few being so creepy. Out of them all, I truly loved Kris the most. She’s the true definition of a badass female metal protagonist that is ambitious, relentless, and beyond awesome. Her journey in this story was very inspiring and captured that pure metal spirit of nothing getting in our way as we’ll break through walls if we have to get what we want.
Hendrix truly hit the nail on the head with a very special novel that gives readers a true glimpse of the metal world while having dual stories happening in a brilliant way. Nothing was confusing or filler but straight to the point and riveting. I was hooked reading this to the end because it was fascinating and my goodness, the ending rocked!
The ending to “We Sold Our Souls” was one of the most epic metal endings I’ve ever read in a novel. There’s a lot of meaning behind it as I was left in awe, jaw on the floor, just loving every moment of it. It’s hard to explain without giving it away but let’s just say, if you’re into metal, horror, the power of song lyrics, and an incredible look into the world of metal, this is a must-read novel.
I give “We Sold Our Souls” by Grady Hendrix a perfect 5/5 because I had so much fun reading this novel while listening to all my favorite bands. Lots of Slayer, Slipknot, Merciful Fate, Amon Amarth, Bathory, Abbath, and many more turned this into quite the reading experience. This felt like a King Diamond conceptual album similar to that of “Abigail” that comes into place as you read to get the entire story. The tension and buildup to the end were so worth it and well, I’ll leave you all with my favorite quote from “We Sold Our Souls” that simply hit my soul…
“Metal never dies. Metal never retreats. Metal never surrenders.”
Needless to say, I was super excited to read this novel by one of my favorite horror authors. Hendrix has given me several incredible reads as I knew going into “We Sold Our Souls” that it would be another fun thrill ride in horror. Now, before I jump into my review, let me go over some trigger warnings.
In “We Sold Our Souls” you will find situations of suicide and inappropriate touching of a female at a metal concert. If either of these triggers you, please do not read this novel. It goes get very graphic and detailed so keep that in mind.
Moving along, I completely lost my mind when I realized every chapter was a unique song title from all sorts of metal bands. I literally jumped for joy when I saw there was a REIGN IN BLOOD chapter since Slayer is my all-time favorite metal band. Speaking of which, to see them heavily mentioned in this novel was so awesome. I loved it since it’s so rare I get to read a horror novel that heavily mentions Slayer and many other of my favorite metal bands.
There are a ton of band references in this novel as well as breaking down the overall culture of what it’s like being a metalhead, preparing to go to an epic metal concert, and just all the little details behind it. I’m pretty sure Hendrix has to be a metalhead since he was completely spot on with everything that goes into being one and the fandom behind it with a great horror twist.
Oh yes, ladies and gentlemen, the horror in this novel is fantastic. I’m talking wild, insane, and totally brutal. Don’t worry, I won’t ruin or spoil anything for you but I loved all the plot twists, gore, and sheer insanity. The characters were also very well done with a few being so creepy. Out of them all, I truly loved Kris the most. She’s the true definition of a badass female metal protagonist that is ambitious, relentless, and beyond awesome. Her journey in this story was very inspiring and captured that pure metal spirit of nothing getting in our way as we’ll break through walls if we have to get what we want.
Hendrix truly hit the nail on the head with a very special novel that gives readers a true glimpse of the metal world while having dual stories happening in a brilliant way. Nothing was confusing or filler but straight to the point and riveting. I was hooked reading this to the end because it was fascinating and my goodness, the ending rocked!
The ending to “We Sold Our Souls” was one of the most epic metal endings I’ve ever read in a novel. There’s a lot of meaning behind it as I was left in awe, jaw on the floor, just loving every moment of it. It’s hard to explain without giving it away but let’s just say, if you’re into metal, horror, the power of song lyrics, and an incredible look into the world of metal, this is a must-read novel.
I give “We Sold Our Souls” by Grady Hendrix a perfect 5/5 because I had so much fun reading this novel while listening to all my favorite bands. Lots of Slayer, Slipknot, Merciful Fate, Amon Amarth, Bathory, Abbath, and many more turned this into quite the reading experience. This felt like a King Diamond conceptual album similar to that of “Abigail” that comes into place as you read to get the entire story. The tension and buildup to the end were so worth it and well, I’ll leave you all with my favorite quote from “We Sold Our Souls” that simply hit my soul…
“Metal never dies. Metal never retreats. Metal never surrenders.”
November 8, 2018
oooh, goodreads choice awards semifinalist for best horror 2018! what will happen?
A girl with a guitar never has to apologize for anything.
i’ve read all three of grady hendrix’s novels, and while none of them have scared me, they’ve all entertained me.
this is the least fun of his books. there are occasional smiles, like when you notice that all the chapter titles are the names of metal albums, or when he sneaks something cheeky in, like citing nick sharman as a rock journalist from Kerrang! magazine when we all know that nick sharman is this guy:
and this guy.
it’s a loving power chord tribute to metal, full of utterly anthemic lines:
Metal never dies. Metal never retreats. Metal never surrenders.
and a deep appreciation for the music and culture of RAWK. actually, i take back what i said about this not being funny, because the concept is hilarious, it involves a concept album and it’s so SO inventive and clever in its use, it’s worth a giggle or two. but it’s much sadder overall; the regret of the “almost-was,” and the cost of fame and the answers to the question, “whatever happened to…”
i loved the residual affection between kris and her former bandmates (two of them, anyway), all of those scenes were really moving. and AAAAHHHH, scottie rocket!!!
dammit.
there are also two excellent scenes of horror perfection - one in a car and one underground. the underground one taught me that under certain circumstances, i would be claustrophobic. i read and reread all of those pages because that situation was completely harrowing. dammit2.
but this book is also what happens when grit lit meets horror. its focus is on the same segment of struggling, disenfranchised america; one of the characters lives in west virginia, having seen thirteen people from her graduating class die from opioid overdoses, while she waitresses at a place that encourages waitress-groping all to pay back her student loans and maybe someday get out of her dead end life. this sounds pulled right up out of any of my beloved grit lit novels:
but this one’s also got monsters, so WIN.
keep up the great work, grady hendrix!
ROCKTOBER IS SPOOKY!!
come to my blog!
A girl with a guitar never has to apologize for anything.
i’ve read all three of grady hendrix’s novels, and while none of them have scared me, they’ve all entertained me.
this is the least fun of his books. there are occasional smiles, like when you notice that all the chapter titles are the names of metal albums, or when he sneaks something cheeky in, like citing nick sharman as a rock journalist from Kerrang! magazine when we all know that nick sharman is this guy:
and this guy.
it’s a loving power chord tribute to metal, full of utterly anthemic lines:
Metal never dies. Metal never retreats. Metal never surrenders.
and a deep appreciation for the music and culture of RAWK. actually, i take back what i said about this not being funny, because the concept is hilarious, it involves a concept album and it’s so SO inventive and clever in its use, it’s worth a giggle or two. but it’s much sadder overall; the regret of the “almost-was,” and the cost of fame and the answers to the question, “whatever happened to…”
i loved the residual affection between kris and her former bandmates (two of them, anyway), all of those scenes were really moving. and AAAAHHHH, scottie rocket!!!
dammit.
there are also two excellent scenes of horror perfection - one in a car and one underground. the underground one taught me that under certain circumstances, i would be claustrophobic. i read and reread all of those pages because that situation was completely harrowing. dammit2.
but this book is also what happens when grit lit meets horror. its focus is on the same segment of struggling, disenfranchised america; one of the characters lives in west virginia, having seen thirteen people from her graduating class die from opioid overdoses, while she waitresses at a place that encourages waitress-groping all to pay back her student loans and maybe someday get out of her dead end life. this sounds pulled right up out of any of my beloved grit lit novels:
Every song was the same song. These were songs for people who were scared to open their mailboxes, whose phone call never brought good news. These were songs for people standing at the crossroads waiting for the bus. People who bounced between debt collectors and dollar stores, collection agencies and housing offices, family court and emergency rooms waiting for a check that never came, waiting for a court date, waiting for a call back, waiting for a break, crushed beneath the wheel.
but this one’s also got monsters, so WIN.
keep up the great work, grady hendrix!
ROCKTOBER IS SPOOKY!!
come to my blog!
March 26, 2024
Tuvo partes muy buenas, pero bastantes otras que no me encantaron ni me convencieron. De todos modos: amo la pluma de terror de Grady Hendrix. Siempre tiene escenas que me impactan mucho.
December 4, 2018
Loved the black stained edges and what looks like Viking runes on the front cover. What do I know!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
October 24, 2018
We Sold Our Souls by Grady Hendrix is a 2018 Quirk Books publication.
It’s the 90s and heavy metal rules the rock and roll music machine.
Dürt Würk is right on the cusp of fame when suddenly their singer, Terry Hunt, pulls out, goes solo, changes his name and becomes a mega-superstar. He leaves his former bandmates in the dust, taking everything with him, including the rights to their music.
Decades pass, and Dürt Würk’s guitarist, Kris Pulaski, is barely scraping by, working as the night manager at a Best Western motel. Her dreary, miserable days suddenly explode into a fight for her very soul when she makes a shocking discovery about Terry’s meteoric rise to fame. It is imperative she reconnect with her former bandmates and get the band back together.
Meanwhile, Terry, aka, ‘Koffin’, is headlining a massive rock show in Las Vegas with record breaking crowds expected to attend. If Kris doesn’t get there in time, many more souls may be lost.
Full disclosure- I read Grady Hendrix’s ‘Paperbacks from Hell’ and loved it. The book highlighted pulp horror novels from an era I was familiar with, and it was done with humor, and intelligence. So, when I saw this book by Hendrix, I couldn’t resist. The thing is I don’t read horror novels a lot, except around Halloween, and I was never into the type of metal featured in this story, but…
I have a son who was just at the right age to appreciate pure metal and I heard my fair share of it bleeding through his bedroom walls. The 'nu-metal' was also in the house, which is, evidently, according to this novel- frowned upon by purists. Anyway, my point is, I am familiar enough with the culture to recognize the bands and understood most of the references.
At the end of the day, the story is one that has endured for ages- the classic myth of selling one’s soul for fame and fortune, with the devil getting the last laugh. Except in this case, souls were sold without their knowledge, and they are desperate to free themselves from the contract which has sealed their fate. This is a nice twist, and I loved that Kris is a kick-butt female guitarist in an overwhelmingly male dominated environment.
Of course, this is a cautionary tale and there is a moral to the story. I love that about this book. It’s a gory, supernatural, futuristic horror story, featuring hardcore metal music, but there is still message and a lesson to be learned from it. While the legend of ‘selling one’s soul’ conjures up woo-doo, a thing about chickens, and visions of crossroads, and is often taken in the literal sense, I think it’s allegorical and yes, many a musician has fallen into the trap.
There are other points the author zooms in on, that while not entirely original, will still make you think. The one downside was the ending. I was expecting a huge, epic showdown, but it ended up being a whimper instead of a roar. Other than that, this story is an homage to heavy metal, to rock and roll, and horror novels. It’s a little tense, has some gross out gore, but also a healthy dose of humor and satire. It will also give you nightmares about UPS trucks, but overall, this is rip-roaring, spine-tingling tale of horror, but was also a whole lot of fun to read!
It’s the 90s and heavy metal rules the rock and roll music machine.
Dürt Würk is right on the cusp of fame when suddenly their singer, Terry Hunt, pulls out, goes solo, changes his name and becomes a mega-superstar. He leaves his former bandmates in the dust, taking everything with him, including the rights to their music.
Decades pass, and Dürt Würk’s guitarist, Kris Pulaski, is barely scraping by, working as the night manager at a Best Western motel. Her dreary, miserable days suddenly explode into a fight for her very soul when she makes a shocking discovery about Terry’s meteoric rise to fame. It is imperative she reconnect with her former bandmates and get the band back together.
Meanwhile, Terry, aka, ‘Koffin’, is headlining a massive rock show in Las Vegas with record breaking crowds expected to attend. If Kris doesn’t get there in time, many more souls may be lost.
Full disclosure- I read Grady Hendrix’s ‘Paperbacks from Hell’ and loved it. The book highlighted pulp horror novels from an era I was familiar with, and it was done with humor, and intelligence. So, when I saw this book by Hendrix, I couldn’t resist. The thing is I don’t read horror novels a lot, except around Halloween, and I was never into the type of metal featured in this story, but…
I have a son who was just at the right age to appreciate pure metal and I heard my fair share of it bleeding through his bedroom walls. The 'nu-metal' was also in the house, which is, evidently, according to this novel- frowned upon by purists. Anyway, my point is, I am familiar enough with the culture to recognize the bands and understood most of the references.
At the end of the day, the story is one that has endured for ages- the classic myth of selling one’s soul for fame and fortune, with the devil getting the last laugh. Except in this case, souls were sold without their knowledge, and they are desperate to free themselves from the contract which has sealed their fate. This is a nice twist, and I loved that Kris is a kick-butt female guitarist in an overwhelmingly male dominated environment.
Of course, this is a cautionary tale and there is a moral to the story. I love that about this book. It’s a gory, supernatural, futuristic horror story, featuring hardcore metal music, but there is still message and a lesson to be learned from it. While the legend of ‘selling one’s soul’ conjures up woo-doo, a thing about chickens, and visions of crossroads, and is often taken in the literal sense, I think it’s allegorical and yes, many a musician has fallen into the trap.
There are other points the author zooms in on, that while not entirely original, will still make you think. The one downside was the ending. I was expecting a huge, epic showdown, but it ended up being a whimper instead of a roar. Other than that, this story is an homage to heavy metal, to rock and roll, and horror novels. It’s a little tense, has some gross out gore, but also a healthy dose of humor and satire. It will also give you nightmares about UPS trucks, but overall, this is rip-roaring, spine-tingling tale of horror, but was also a whole lot of fun to read!
July 21, 2019
My mind is going a million miles an hour right now - I hope this review will make sense.
Loved this book. Loved everything about this book. It's as though Grady Hendrix asked me how I would like my horror served. And he delivered more than he promised.
Phew, let me take a breath and try to break this down into smaller chunks. I'm a rocker at heart, but some of my music taste moves into heavy metal. You could say I'm like a fringe player, knowing only enough to know what I like and what I don't.
Heavy metal has always been more than music. It's a feeling, a belief, a raw and valid frustration about life as it is, an honest statement of truth beyond the smoke, of reality without the make-up. It is a subculture which has its own beliefs and language - some of which I don't even understand or grasp because I'm not all the way inside. But the words in this book is that same language, so if Grady Hendrix isn't into it more than I am, he does a damn fine job of making me believe.
The first thing to note about this book is that each chapter - not numbered - starts with the name of an album. You will find Black Sabbath, Slayer, Venom, Twisted Sister, Metallica, Manowar, Dolly Parton, AC\DC, Ozzy...to name some of them. I'm pretty sure you can spot the odd one out - I actually looked up the albums I didn't know, so imagine my surprise when I Googled "Little sparrow album" and came up with the answer. Turns out it wasn't a mistake, you'll have to read for yourself if you want top make sense of it.
DID YOU KNOW:
On the Def Leppard album HYSTERIA - which sold more than 12 million copies - released in 1987, the song ROCKET was written when the band brought all their vinyl records together and wrote the lyrics from different album titles. Check it out on the Wikipedia page.
Anyway, like I said, I enjoy some metal and others not so much, so the extent of my knowledge basically ends with whether it is a metal song or not. For the die hard fans, however, there are so many different sub-genres in metal, I wouldn't even know where to begin.
You get: Speed-, Death-, Thrash-, Black-, Nu-, Dark-, Industrial-, Liquid-, Viking-, Operatic-, Plastic-, Celtic-, Doom-, Gothic-, Hair-, Punk-, Poodle-, Extreme- and Power-, to name but a few. And, yes, only the true fans will know which ones I made up - it will be fewer than you think.
So, taking the whole idea of "Selling your soul to the devil to be the best..." takes on a little different twist in this story. I can't elaborate much more than that, for fear of giving some nice surprises away.
I am one of those readers who does a thorough (and not always fast) read and can usually point out or spot some of the weaknesses in a story. Sometimes I can live with them and I won't mention anything in my review while others I will elaborate on.
However, this story grabbed me by the short and curlies (yes, I shaved my beard and it is growing back), and absolutely devoured me. For the life of me, I can't tell you about any mistakes or weaknesses in this book. I was into this story and whatever flaws there may or may not be, flew by my radar.
Grady Hendrix is a remarkable writer and his words has power, at least over this reader, so I will recommend it to any and all fans of horror!
Loved this book. Loved everything about this book. It's as though Grady Hendrix asked me how I would like my horror served. And he delivered more than he promised.
Phew, let me take a breath and try to break this down into smaller chunks. I'm a rocker at heart, but some of my music taste moves into heavy metal. You could say I'm like a fringe player, knowing only enough to know what I like and what I don't.
Heavy metal has always been more than music. It's a feeling, a belief, a raw and valid frustration about life as it is, an honest statement of truth beyond the smoke, of reality without the make-up. It is a subculture which has its own beliefs and language - some of which I don't even understand or grasp because I'm not all the way inside. But the words in this book is that same language, so if Grady Hendrix isn't into it more than I am, he does a damn fine job of making me believe.
The first thing to note about this book is that each chapter - not numbered - starts with the name of an album. You will find Black Sabbath, Slayer, Venom, Twisted Sister, Metallica, Manowar, Dolly Parton, AC\DC, Ozzy...to name some of them. I'm pretty sure you can spot the odd one out - I actually looked up the albums I didn't know, so imagine my surprise when I Googled "Little sparrow album" and came up with the answer. Turns out it wasn't a mistake, you'll have to read for yourself if you want top make sense of it.
DID YOU KNOW:
On the Def Leppard album HYSTERIA - which sold more than 12 million copies - released in 1987, the song ROCKET was written when the band brought all their vinyl records together and wrote the lyrics from different album titles. Check it out on the Wikipedia page.
Anyway, like I said, I enjoy some metal and others not so much, so the extent of my knowledge basically ends with whether it is a metal song or not. For the die hard fans, however, there are so many different sub-genres in metal, I wouldn't even know where to begin.
You get: Speed-, Death-, Thrash-, Black-, Nu-, Dark-, Industrial-, Liquid-, Viking-, Operatic-, Plastic-, Celtic-, Doom-, Gothic-, Hair-, Punk-, Poodle-, Extreme- and Power-, to name but a few. And, yes, only the true fans will know which ones I made up - it will be fewer than you think.
So, taking the whole idea of "Selling your soul to the devil to be the best..." takes on a little different twist in this story. I can't elaborate much more than that, for fear of giving some nice surprises away.
I am one of those readers who does a thorough (and not always fast) read and can usually point out or spot some of the weaknesses in a story. Sometimes I can live with them and I won't mention anything in my review while others I will elaborate on.
However, this story grabbed me by the short and curlies (yes, I shaved my beard and it is growing back), and absolutely devoured me. For the life of me, I can't tell you about any mistakes or weaknesses in this book. I was into this story and whatever flaws there may or may not be, flew by my radar.
Grady Hendrix is a remarkable writer and his words has power, at least over this reader, so I will recommend it to any and all fans of horror!
August 25, 2021
5 intense and glorious stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Damn, I loved this one. A book containing heavy metal music and horror? Uh, yes please!
Grady Hendrix, we’re not worthy!
We Sold Our Souls was a fun romp of a book from the rural setting of Pennsylvania, the depressed economy of West Virginia, to the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas.
Kris Pulaski is middle aged, broke and working at Best Western.
She’s wondering what the hell happened for the last 20 years and how did she get in this place?
She was the lead guitarist of a heavy metal band called Dürt Würk back in the day.
Dürt Würk played hard, heavy and took no prisoners. Now she's cleaning up piss from the floor at Best Western at 3am in the morning.
Kris hasn’t even touched her guitar in over 6 years. On a quest to find out what happened, Kris decides to finally visit all members of the band Dürt Würk. She wants to know why she feels despair and dead inside!
This quest of self-discovery takes her on a journey across America and finding out why she feels broken and can't create music anymore.
I’m not going to say anymore about the plot in this review.
It’s better to experience this bitchin’ of a book that involves heavy metal and finding the will to keep moving forward.
I loved Kris! She was a badass chick and I’m not sure I could have done what she did especially in one part in the book.
It caused me to gasp and say,
“No, no, no, hell no!!” I would have died. 🤣😂
Grady Hendrix has a way of writing that just pulls you into a story and cheer for the down trodden. His writing is engaging, entertaining and can be downright creepy at times.
I also think Hendrix is secretly into heavy metal.
He nailed this music genre down. I felt like I should have been listening to Black Sabbath while reading this. I wanted to rock hard, jump in a mosh pit and sweat like a demon.
It was great fun!
Definitely check out We Sold Our Souls if you love music, rocking hard and enjoying horror elements in a book.
I’m really looking forward to the next book Hendrix will put out. I’ve loved everything he’s written so far!
Damn, I loved this one. A book containing heavy metal music and horror? Uh, yes please!
Grady Hendrix, we’re not worthy!
We Sold Our Souls was a fun romp of a book from the rural setting of Pennsylvania, the depressed economy of West Virginia, to the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas.
Kris Pulaski is middle aged, broke and working at Best Western.
She’s wondering what the hell happened for the last 20 years and how did she get in this place?
She was the lead guitarist of a heavy metal band called Dürt Würk back in the day.
Dürt Würk played hard, heavy and took no prisoners. Now she's cleaning up piss from the floor at Best Western at 3am in the morning.
Kris hasn’t even touched her guitar in over 6 years. On a quest to find out what happened, Kris decides to finally visit all members of the band Dürt Würk. She wants to know why she feels despair and dead inside!
This quest of self-discovery takes her on a journey across America and finding out why she feels broken and can't create music anymore.
I’m not going to say anymore about the plot in this review.
It’s better to experience this bitchin’ of a book that involves heavy metal and finding the will to keep moving forward.
I loved Kris! She was a badass chick and I’m not sure I could have done what she did especially in one part in the book.
It caused me to gasp and say,
“No, no, no, hell no!!” I would have died. 🤣😂
Grady Hendrix has a way of writing that just pulls you into a story and cheer for the down trodden. His writing is engaging, entertaining and can be downright creepy at times.
I also think Hendrix is secretly into heavy metal.
He nailed this music genre down. I felt like I should have been listening to Black Sabbath while reading this. I wanted to rock hard, jump in a mosh pit and sweat like a demon.
It was great fun!
Definitely check out We Sold Our Souls if you love music, rocking hard and enjoying horror elements in a book.
I’m really looking forward to the next book Hendrix will put out. I’ve loved everything he’s written so far!
August 15, 2020
I’d been meaning to read something by Grady Hendrix for ages, so I jumped at the chance to review We Sold Our Souls. I’d heard so many of my friends rave about his writing in general, but as a metalhead, I was especially sold on the idea of an entire horror story revolving around this washed-up former metal star and her old bandmate’s essential deal with the devil to gain his fame.
First, let’s talk about Kris Pulaski, our former guitarist protagonist who’s in her forties now, working the night shift at a hotel, miserable, empty, and alone. And let’s talk about how much I freaking love her. Kris is an absolute badass, full of flames and rage and a need for vengeance and justice; she’s tough, a total fighter, and frankly, she’s sick and tired of being held down by the men in her life. She’s incredibly aware of how warped the metal community’s treatment of women can be, much less how society at large treats powerful and self-confident women, but she refuses to let anyone get in her way for even a second. She’s constantly plotting her next move, and she’s just brilliant. If Kris Pulaski were a real person, I’d want to be her best friend.
Kris isn’t the only enjoyable character, though—even some of the bad guys are pretty likable in their own way, and everyone, good or bad, feels flawed and authentic. I loved cycling through Kris’ former bandmates as she met up with each one, and learning about her memories of them, especially when she would couple in band-specific relations (things like, “like every guitar duo in metal, they were a little bit in love and a little bit in hate all at the same time”). It’s also incredibly fascinating to watch Kris piece together her broken memories as the story slowly reveals what drove apart the members of Dürt Würk, and why Kris has been an outsider ever since.
While We Sold Our Souls absolutely has horror elements and a wonderful plot that kept me engaged from start to finish, what I loved most about it was the fact that, at its core, it reads like a love song to metalheads and music lovers everywhere. So much of what happens revolves around the music scene, the power of metal (and the darker sides of the community, too), and the ways that music can teach us and guide us to the light. There are loads of pop culture references (don’t be offended if a few of your faves get insulted—it happened to me twice, and all I could do was laugh), feminist undertones for days, and a few incredibly creepy (and/or disgusting) mental images that have followed me in the days since finishing this story.
Altogether, I adored every single page of this book, and see it as the kind of story I would happily read over and over again in the future. If you enjoy horror with a touch of weirdness to it, and especially if you’re a fellow metalhead, I can’t urge you strongly enough to pick up a copy of We Sold Our Souls right away. There’s not a single negative thing I have to say about it, and I can’t wait to read everything else Grady Hendrix has to offer.
Thank you so much to Quirk Books for providing me with a stunning finished copy in exchange for an honest review!
She had nothing. Except her music.
First, let’s talk about Kris Pulaski, our former guitarist protagonist who’s in her forties now, working the night shift at a hotel, miserable, empty, and alone. And let’s talk about how much I freaking love her. Kris is an absolute badass, full of flames and rage and a need for vengeance and justice; she’s tough, a total fighter, and frankly, she’s sick and tired of being held down by the men in her life. She’s incredibly aware of how warped the metal community’s treatment of women can be, much less how society at large treats powerful and self-confident women, but she refuses to let anyone get in her way for even a second. She’s constantly plotting her next move, and she’s just brilliant. If Kris Pulaski were a real person, I’d want to be her best friend.
Kris had been alive long enough to know it was dangerous when men accused you of being better than them.
Kris isn’t the only enjoyable character, though—even some of the bad guys are pretty likable in their own way, and everyone, good or bad, feels flawed and authentic. I loved cycling through Kris’ former bandmates as she met up with each one, and learning about her memories of them, especially when she would couple in band-specific relations (things like, “like every guitar duo in metal, they were a little bit in love and a little bit in hate all at the same time”). It’s also incredibly fascinating to watch Kris piece together her broken memories as the story slowly reveals what drove apart the members of Dürt Würk, and why Kris has been an outsider ever since.
She played for the losers.
While We Sold Our Souls absolutely has horror elements and a wonderful plot that kept me engaged from start to finish, what I loved most about it was the fact that, at its core, it reads like a love song to metalheads and music lovers everywhere. So much of what happens revolves around the music scene, the power of metal (and the darker sides of the community, too), and the ways that music can teach us and guide us to the light. There are loads of pop culture references (don’t be offended if a few of your faves get insulted—it happened to me twice, and all I could do was laugh), feminist undertones for days, and a few incredibly creepy (and/or disgusting) mental images that have followed me in the days since finishing this story.
Altogether, I adored every single page of this book, and see it as the kind of story I would happily read over and over again in the future. If you enjoy horror with a touch of weirdness to it, and especially if you’re a fellow metalhead, I can’t urge you strongly enough to pick up a copy of We Sold Our Souls right away. There’s not a single negative thing I have to say about it, and I can’t wait to read everything else Grady Hendrix has to offer.
Thank you so much to Quirk Books for providing me with a stunning finished copy in exchange for an honest review!
September 14, 2018
" Hard rock, heavy metal, stoner rock, doom metal-it all dragged itself up out of the swamp called the blues. "
As a major fan of the blues, how could I not be aware of Robert Johnson's story? Legend says he sold his soul at the crossroads to play the guitar like that. Maybe he wasn't the only one doing the selling?
WE SOLD OUR SOULS is the story of a band in turmoil, maybe not a great band, but one that affected people. One that got people through the hard times...one that helped them celebrate the good. But when the lead singer decides that this isn't enough for him, he investigates...other avenues. Will the band survive his efforts and appeals to be something greater? Will they survive at all? You'll have to read this to find out!
I loved how the background of each band member was related, but I especially liked the lead character Kris, because she wasn't the stereotypical female protagonist that we so often see. (Well, let's face it-we don't see that many female leads of rock bands, in real life or especially as believable characters in books.) She was bad-ass but she didn't think so-maybe she didn't even realize it. But she was resilient and she kept on keeping on even when there was no chance of success. I think I have my first fictional girl crush.
As the tale progresses, several twists occurred that I didn't foresee at all. I will never look at a UPS truck in the same way again, (and I bet you won't either). I'm sure my mouth dropped a couple of times and it probably wasn't pretty, but hell, I don't care. (I won't even speak about how late last night my Kindle hit me in my face because I was so intent on finishing this story but I just couldn't say awake any longer.) The bruise was worth it!
At the end of each chapter you'll find little tidbits from radio or news broadcasts and some of them won't make sense until later on. I really liked them and they provided background at times, and foreshadowing at others.
Grady Hendrix blipped my radar with his beautiful book PAPERBACKS FROM HELL and since then I've been a big fan. This book, however, this one is truly something special. I rank it right up there with a few other books about bands that I've greatly enjoyed like Robert McCammon's THE FIVE.
At this point, if I haven't won you over I'm probably not going to. However, I will say, if you're a fan of well written, fast paced, dark fiction, and you love Rock & Roll, you will miss the boat by a wide, wide margin if you don't read this book.
My highest recommendation!
Available everywhere on Tuesday, September 18th, but you can pre-order here: https://amzn.to/2xdfoR5
*Thanks to Quirk Books via NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*
As a major fan of the blues, how could I not be aware of Robert Johnson's story? Legend says he sold his soul at the crossroads to play the guitar like that. Maybe he wasn't the only one doing the selling?
WE SOLD OUR SOULS is the story of a band in turmoil, maybe not a great band, but one that affected people. One that got people through the hard times...one that helped them celebrate the good. But when the lead singer decides that this isn't enough for him, he investigates...other avenues. Will the band survive his efforts and appeals to be something greater? Will they survive at all? You'll have to read this to find out!
I loved how the background of each band member was related, but I especially liked the lead character Kris, because she wasn't the stereotypical female protagonist that we so often see. (Well, let's face it-we don't see that many female leads of rock bands, in real life or especially as believable characters in books.) She was bad-ass but she didn't think so-maybe she didn't even realize it. But she was resilient and she kept on keeping on even when there was no chance of success. I think I have my first fictional girl crush.
As the tale progresses, several twists occurred that I didn't foresee at all. I will never look at a UPS truck in the same way again, (and I bet you won't either). I'm sure my mouth dropped a couple of times and it probably wasn't pretty, but hell, I don't care. (I won't even speak about how late last night my Kindle hit me in my face because I was so intent on finishing this story but I just couldn't say awake any longer.) The bruise was worth it!
At the end of each chapter you'll find little tidbits from radio or news broadcasts and some of them won't make sense until later on. I really liked them and they provided background at times, and foreshadowing at others.
Grady Hendrix blipped my radar with his beautiful book PAPERBACKS FROM HELL and since then I've been a big fan. This book, however, this one is truly something special. I rank it right up there with a few other books about bands that I've greatly enjoyed like Robert McCammon's THE FIVE.
At this point, if I haven't won you over I'm probably not going to. However, I will say, if you're a fan of well written, fast paced, dark fiction, and you love Rock & Roll, you will miss the boat by a wide, wide margin if you don't read this book.
My highest recommendation!
Available everywhere on Tuesday, September 18th, but you can pre-order here: https://amzn.to/2xdfoR5
*Thanks to Quirk Books via NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*
December 12, 2018
In the 1990s, Kris Pulaski was the guitar player in a metal band called Dürt Würk. Now, she's broke and working the desk at Best Western. When one of her old bandmates announces the farewell tour of Koffin, his new band, Kris goes looking for some payback...
I'm a huge fan of Paperbacks from Hell and I liked My Best Friend's Exorcism so my interest was picqued. Fortunately, I won a Goodreads giveaway for this book a few weeks ago.
We Sold Our Souls is told in two parallel tracks: the wreckage of Kris' life and her days as a rocker. There's also the side story of Melanie Guttierez, a girl who wants to get to Vegas to see Koffin at any cost, but Kris is the star of the show.
Anyway, as Kris tracks down her old bandmates, she's forced to explore that fateful night, decades before, when Terry Hunt and his creepy new manager put some sinister contracts in front of the members of Dürt Würk.
We Sold Our Souls is part metal, part road book, and part horror. There were some frantic moments and one of the most claustrophobic scenes I've read. I had to stop for a few minutes and burden my wife with it. Lots of crazy, gruesome, unsettling shit happens.
For most of the book, I was planning on giving this five stars but I thought there were a few too many unanswered questions at the end. The ending was satisfying but felt like it was missing something just the same, like when you don't have any bay leaves and decide to make the soup anyway.
Not to hijack the review but I found myself comparing We Sold Our Souls to Todd Keisling's The Final Reconciliation quite a bit. For my money, The Final Reconciliation was the better music-themed horror novel.
At the end of the day, We Sold Our Souls was one hell of a great read. Four out of five stars.
I'm a huge fan of Paperbacks from Hell and I liked My Best Friend's Exorcism so my interest was picqued. Fortunately, I won a Goodreads giveaway for this book a few weeks ago.
We Sold Our Souls is told in two parallel tracks: the wreckage of Kris' life and her days as a rocker. There's also the side story of Melanie Guttierez, a girl who wants to get to Vegas to see Koffin at any cost, but Kris is the star of the show.
Anyway, as Kris tracks down her old bandmates, she's forced to explore that fateful night, decades before, when Terry Hunt and his creepy new manager put some sinister contracts in front of the members of Dürt Würk.
We Sold Our Souls is part metal, part road book, and part horror. There were some frantic moments and one of the most claustrophobic scenes I've read. I had to stop for a few minutes and burden my wife with it. Lots of crazy, gruesome, unsettling shit happens.
For most of the book, I was planning on giving this five stars but I thought there were a few too many unanswered questions at the end. The ending was satisfying but felt like it was missing something just the same, like when you don't have any bay leaves and decide to make the soup anyway.
Not to hijack the review but I found myself comparing We Sold Our Souls to Todd Keisling's The Final Reconciliation quite a bit. For my money, The Final Reconciliation was the better music-themed horror novel.
At the end of the day, We Sold Our Souls was one hell of a great read. Four out of five stars.
May 17, 2021
Grady Hendrix is all about the weird horror humor and that is no different with We Sold Our Souls. It is all that is cheesy about Hard Rock and Roll from the 1970s until now wrapped in a terrifyingly humorous package. If you have enjoyed previous Hendrix and/or are a fan of hard rock, metal, music culture, etc. I think you will find a lot to enjoy here.
The thing about Hendrix that I have found now having read three of his books is you just have to be ready for some silly, irreverent fun. It is pure escapism with a little gory horror and a lot of laughs – nothing to be taken too seriously. It reminds me a lot of Christopher Moore and since I like most everything I have read by Moore, I am having the experience of liking almost everything by Hendrix.
If you don’t like horror, might take offense if the sanctity of Metal is questioned, or prefer your books not have discussions about demons and the occult, this is not the book for you. But, if you need a humorous horror escape, it is time for you to go on tour with Koffin and Dürt Würk!
The thing about Hendrix that I have found now having read three of his books is you just have to be ready for some silly, irreverent fun. It is pure escapism with a little gory horror and a lot of laughs – nothing to be taken too seriously. It reminds me a lot of Christopher Moore and since I like most everything I have read by Moore, I am having the experience of liking almost everything by Hendrix.
If you don’t like horror, might take offense if the sanctity of Metal is questioned, or prefer your books not have discussions about demons and the occult, this is not the book for you. But, if you need a humorous horror escape, it is time for you to go on tour with Koffin and Dürt Würk!
August 20, 2022
Almost famous rock chick wants to get the band back together and fight for her wrongly sold soul. Lots of metal references 🤘
September 26, 2018
I love the heart that went into this. But the whole thing feels so...half-baked? First drafty?
Love the first half, all the way until after an "escape" scene. After that, it lost me. The plot is too allegorical for its own good. The climax is way too feel-good and family-friendly considering the dark horror elements that were in play the rest of the novel. The universe and its mythology are frustratingly underdeveloped. The social commentary jumbled into it never comes together. It never locks down a clear tone, featuring genuinely disturbing moments of horror mixed with goofy humor and schmaltzy sentimentality. And at its worst, its message of following your dreams and "fighting the man" comes off as downright preachy.
I feel awful for ragging on it though. This is a love letter to rock 'n' roll through and through, and if anything translates crystal clear, it's that. Like I said, I adore the first half, and the second half does have some awesome moments of catharsis (I loved Kris's character and it was great seeing where she wound up).
Maybe I'm just battle-hardened after the pitch-perfect metal storytelling in Mandy, but this didn't resonate with me on any really deep level. Love the ingredients, not so much the final dish.
Love the first half, all the way until after an "escape" scene. After that, it lost me. The plot is too allegorical for its own good. The climax is way too feel-good and family-friendly considering the dark horror elements that were in play the rest of the novel. The universe and its mythology are frustratingly underdeveloped. The social commentary jumbled into it never comes together. It never locks down a clear tone, featuring genuinely disturbing moments of horror mixed with goofy humor and schmaltzy sentimentality. And at its worst, its message of following your dreams and "fighting the man" comes off as downright preachy.
I feel awful for ragging on it though. This is a love letter to rock 'n' roll through and through, and if anything translates crystal clear, it's that. Like I said, I adore the first half, and the second half does have some awesome moments of catharsis (I loved Kris's character and it was great seeing where she wound up).
Maybe I'm just battle-hardened after the pitch-perfect metal storytelling in Mandy, but this didn't resonate with me on any really deep level. Love the ingredients, not so much the final dish.
January 20, 2020
I have a SERIOUS love going on for all these music novels. The more wild, the more music-mythological, the more gut-wrenchingly SWEET and SOUR taste of broken dreams and soaring to unattainable heights, the better. :)
And you know what? I don't care WHAT kind of genre we mix it with or whether it IS mixed. Music is a LIFE. And for me, I don't even care what style it is. I've been in my Metal phase. I've owned the breakaway. I've told the world to ****-off.
So what happens when Grady writes the ultimate Metal tribute, rocks it as an epic, over-the-top Robert Johnson tribute that goes the way of a Metalocalypse. You know that old Adult Swim show? The one that laughs at itself right before it goes swimming in oceans of blood and rips its own throat out in gravel-speech? Yeah. Grady does it. :)
YEEEEAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!
This book has some of the best concept-album ideas I've read and I fell right into it as if I was listening to Mindcrime or The Wall. No sweat. This is both a tribute and a soul-stomping realistic love-note to the downtrodden and the dreams of the fighters.
I sounds like a fanboy, don't I? :) Well this just tickled me to Deathmetal.
And you know what? I don't care WHAT kind of genre we mix it with or whether it IS mixed. Music is a LIFE. And for me, I don't even care what style it is. I've been in my Metal phase. I've owned the breakaway. I've told the world to ****-off.
So what happens when Grady writes the ultimate Metal tribute, rocks it as an epic, over-the-top Robert Johnson tribute that goes the way of a Metalocalypse. You know that old Adult Swim show? The one that laughs at itself right before it goes swimming in oceans of blood and rips its own throat out in gravel-speech? Yeah. Grady does it. :)
YEEEEAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!
This book has some of the best concept-album ideas I've read and I fell right into it as if I was listening to Mindcrime or The Wall. No sweat. This is both a tribute and a soul-stomping realistic love-note to the downtrodden and the dreams of the fighters.
I sounds like a fanboy, don't I? :) Well this just tickled me to Deathmetal.
October 25, 2022
"We Sold Our Souls" by Grady Hendrix is messy, crazy, and entertaining Horror!
Chris Pulaski is the night manager of a Best Western and she's madder than hell! Unfortunately, she's also broke as hell...
In the 1990's Chris was a guitarist in the heavy metal break-out band, "Dürt Würk", until lead singer Terry Hunt sold out for a solo career as "Koffin", taking the rights to all their music and leaving the band in the dust.
Now Chris is on a mission to reunite her fellow band members and confront "Koffin" for his devilish deeds!
"The 'Heavy Metal Music Culture' is definitely not for me. I like my music quieter, smoother, sweeter, and more relaxing. I will admit, however, to getting caught-up in the lyrics and I loving the rhyming cadence that the narrator rattled off so poetically in this story. Within those lyrics and the story there is definitely food-for-thought!
What a crazy-convoluted mess this is! But it's the good kind of messy, crazy, and entertaining Horror!
I can't help myself when it comes to this campy author. Leave it to Grady Hendrix to create a horrific story with a former female-guitarist from a washed up 1990's heavy metal band, a satanic rehab center, a sinister conspiracy, and...rogue UPS drivers that pose as the death squad!
This author's books do call to me and I'm a sucker for how his written words sound via the audiobook format. This is my third listening experience and although it's not the top, it's engaging and creative. The narrator, Carol Monda, did a fine job and I highly recommend the audiobook as the best format for this story.
Most importantly, this author puts a lot of thought into the delivery of his stories and the message he leaves with his readers are deep and complex. It's similar to 'Heavy Metal Music' and the messages hidden within the lyrics. I suppose that's the draw to the culture of this music and why readers are so loyal to this author.
As long as this author continues to write, I will continue to read or listen to his work! He's definitely not for everyone but I love his creativity and the simple fact that this man just makes me smile... :-D
Chris Pulaski is the night manager of a Best Western and she's madder than hell! Unfortunately, she's also broke as hell...
In the 1990's Chris was a guitarist in the heavy metal break-out band, "Dürt Würk", until lead singer Terry Hunt sold out for a solo career as "Koffin", taking the rights to all their music and leaving the band in the dust.
Now Chris is on a mission to reunite her fellow band members and confront "Koffin" for his devilish deeds!
"The 'Heavy Metal Music Culture' is definitely not for me. I like my music quieter, smoother, sweeter, and more relaxing. I will admit, however, to getting caught-up in the lyrics and I loving the rhyming cadence that the narrator rattled off so poetically in this story. Within those lyrics and the story there is definitely food-for-thought!
What a crazy-convoluted mess this is! But it's the good kind of messy, crazy, and entertaining Horror!
I can't help myself when it comes to this campy author. Leave it to Grady Hendrix to create a horrific story with a former female-guitarist from a washed up 1990's heavy metal band, a satanic rehab center, a sinister conspiracy, and...rogue UPS drivers that pose as the death squad!
This author's books do call to me and I'm a sucker for how his written words sound via the audiobook format. This is my third listening experience and although it's not the top, it's engaging and creative. The narrator, Carol Monda, did a fine job and I highly recommend the audiobook as the best format for this story.
Most importantly, this author puts a lot of thought into the delivery of his stories and the message he leaves with his readers are deep and complex. It's similar to 'Heavy Metal Music' and the messages hidden within the lyrics. I suppose that's the draw to the culture of this music and why readers are so loyal to this author.
As long as this author continues to write, I will continue to read or listen to his work! He's definitely not for everyone but I love his creativity and the simple fact that this man just makes me smile... :-D
October 4, 2018
Everybody has been raving about this book. I haven’t read one negative thing and that’s rare in blogland. We like to complain and pick things apart. Or at least I know I do. I probably shouldn’t speak for everyone else. But I think that’s what makes us (or me) so fantastic, haha. Now that I’ve finally read it, (sorry Netgalley, I am late again but you really should know this about me by now) I totally understand why this book is being treated like horror gold. Author Grady Hendrix knows the horror scene and he’s created a modern day classic that gives the old “sold our soul to the devil” trope a fresh new spin. It’s firmly earned its place in a future Paperbacks From Hell volume.
This story is a lovingly written present to all heavy metal loving horror fans. If you grew up in the 80’s or 90’s listening to that stuff you need to buy yourself the beautiful physical copy of this book with the black binding. I’m going to do so as soon as I can. It’s seriously that good.
Kris is having a “what the hell happened to my life” moment. She’s 47 and works the front desk at a Best Western when a customer decides to piss all over the front desk. She was once a guitarist in an almost famous metal band when it all when to shit and she was forced into abandoning her dreams. When she sees a billboard with her nemesis’s face on it that declares he’s going back on tour, she decides to track down her old bandmates in order to stop the man who ruined them all.
Nothing goes as planned. And that’s what I enjoyed so much about this book. It takes turns and twists and I predicted none of them. Not a single one. It is filled with dark and disturbing surprises. I loved that the lead guitarist and main character is a strong, kick-butt kind of woman. I adored this character.
“Kris wasn’t a hugger. She had a body like a bag of knives.”
She’s also very sympathetic and determined.
“Kris wanted to press her fist to the planet and leave a mark.”
And she thinks some very funny thoughts:
“Men never know when to shut up.”
Sorry, guys, but sometimes it’s true (though the same can be said about me, I suppose!).
Music plays an enormous part in the story. It’s not a little set piece or an afterthought. This book would not exist without the music and the end is simply magical. I don’t know what else to say without giving too much away. I’m no good at writing 5 star reviews. I guess I’ll leave you with a drop everything and READ THIS BOOK RIGHT THIS MINUTE! If you hate it, you can always send your copy to me.
This story is a lovingly written present to all heavy metal loving horror fans. If you grew up in the 80’s or 90’s listening to that stuff you need to buy yourself the beautiful physical copy of this book with the black binding. I’m going to do so as soon as I can. It’s seriously that good.
Kris is having a “what the hell happened to my life” moment. She’s 47 and works the front desk at a Best Western when a customer decides to piss all over the front desk. She was once a guitarist in an almost famous metal band when it all when to shit and she was forced into abandoning her dreams. When she sees a billboard with her nemesis’s face on it that declares he’s going back on tour, she decides to track down her old bandmates in order to stop the man who ruined them all.
Nothing goes as planned. And that’s what I enjoyed so much about this book. It takes turns and twists and I predicted none of them. Not a single one. It is filled with dark and disturbing surprises. I loved that the lead guitarist and main character is a strong, kick-butt kind of woman. I adored this character.
“Kris wasn’t a hugger. She had a body like a bag of knives.”
She’s also very sympathetic and determined.
“Kris wanted to press her fist to the planet and leave a mark.”
And she thinks some very funny thoughts:
“Men never know when to shut up.”
Sorry, guys, but sometimes it’s true (though the same can be said about me, I suppose!).
Music plays an enormous part in the story. It’s not a little set piece or an afterthought. This book would not exist without the music and the end is simply magical. I don’t know what else to say without giving too much away. I’m no good at writing 5 star reviews. I guess I’ll leave you with a drop everything and READ THIS BOOK RIGHT THIS MINUTE! If you hate it, you can always send your copy to me.
June 6, 2019
In the first chapter of this gem, the protagonist, Kris, is picking up an old guitar and reliving her glory days in a metal band. In the second chapter, a naked man walks into a Best Western and pees all over everything.
And that’s when I knew this book was for me.
Friends, if there is one thing I love more than books it’s music. I’m not a fan of death metal (although I did go through a big nu metal phase in high school), but it doesn’t matter. This book grabbed me from the very beginning, and I can honestly say this is the most fun I’ve had reading a book in a long time. It’s horror, sure, but it’s so much more.
I loved all of the music industry stuff. The characters were great, and the writing is fantastic. The story is still resonating with me today, and I think it will stick around for a while. It’s different than any horror book I’ve read, and the horror is such a minimal part of the story. I feel like it has so much more to say about consumerism and idolatry, too. It’s a very unique, well-developed spin on the whole sell your soul to the devil thing.
The writing is so fresh, and I loved that Hendrix used real bands in the story. He poked fun at a lot of stereotypes and filled the book with humor and fun along the way. The ending was also extremely satisfying and had me plowing through pages deep into the night to finish it. Seriously, it’s not classic literature or a thought provoking literary novel, but boy howdy if it ain’t just a daggum blast to read.
Can’t recommend this one enough if you’re a fan of any type of music or if you want a fresh, creative horror story that bends the genre around a bit and puts a unique twist on a classic trope. I can’t wait to pick up this guy’s other works and see what else he has in store. Or should I say what he has in... Horrorstor. Heh.
And that’s when I knew this book was for me.
Friends, if there is one thing I love more than books it’s music. I’m not a fan of death metal (although I did go through a big nu metal phase in high school), but it doesn’t matter. This book grabbed me from the very beginning, and I can honestly say this is the most fun I’ve had reading a book in a long time. It’s horror, sure, but it’s so much more.
I loved all of the music industry stuff. The characters were great, and the writing is fantastic. The story is still resonating with me today, and I think it will stick around for a while. It’s different than any horror book I’ve read, and the horror is such a minimal part of the story. I feel like it has so much more to say about consumerism and idolatry, too. It’s a very unique, well-developed spin on the whole sell your soul to the devil thing.
The writing is so fresh, and I loved that Hendrix used real bands in the story. He poked fun at a lot of stereotypes and filled the book with humor and fun along the way. The ending was also extremely satisfying and had me plowing through pages deep into the night to finish it. Seriously, it’s not classic literature or a thought provoking literary novel, but boy howdy if it ain’t just a daggum blast to read.
Can’t recommend this one enough if you’re a fan of any type of music or if you want a fresh, creative horror story that bends the genre around a bit and puts a unique twist on a classic trope. I can’t wait to pick up this guy’s other works and see what else he has in store. Or should I say what he has in... Horrorstor. Heh.
November 28, 2018
I had high hopes for this book and was deeply disappointed. Quoting a few titles and tracks from Metal's heyday in the 80's doesn't rock here. Kris quit playing in a metal band and meets her old band mates. Oh, one former band member has turned evil... after 30% that was it for my part. Tedious, confusing and boring, didn't come into that book, maybe didn't get the parody, satire or whatever the author intended with it. I also didn't like the characters not even the name of the band presented here. Well, this is only my personal opinion but if you want to bang your head listen to one of the great albums mentioned in this book. This saves you reading time for something else. If you want to sell your sell I would recommend try somewhere else. Sorry!
May 30, 2023
May 2023-
Still 5 stars. I love this book.
audiobook review march 2019:
Carol Monda did a great job of narrating. Still love the story. it just sucks me right in and i can't stop listening to it.
12/31/18
this book is sticking with me and I've recommended it to several people so i bumped it up to 5 stars. i left the original rating & review below.
4.5
oh Grady Hendrix! I've read 2 books by this guy this month (dec 2018) and both have been great(the other is my best friend's exorcism)! Some of the people i read this with found it depressing but yeah, it's sad but it didn't bother me. I read this in 2 days and for me that's fast. i couldn't put it down. i had to know what was going to happen next. i liked Kris and JD. i liked most of the characters and settings (the witch house). The story was very good and kept me very interested. i can't wait to see what Mr. Hendrix comes up with next!
Still 5 stars. I love this book.
audiobook review march 2019:
Carol Monda did a great job of narrating. Still love the story. it just sucks me right in and i can't stop listening to it.
12/31/18
this book is sticking with me and I've recommended it to several people so i bumped it up to 5 stars. i left the original rating & review below.
4.5
oh Grady Hendrix! I've read 2 books by this guy this month (dec 2018) and both have been great(the other is my best friend's exorcism)! Some of the people i read this with found it depressing but yeah, it's sad but it didn't bother me. I read this in 2 days and for me that's fast. i couldn't put it down. i had to know what was going to happen next. i liked Kris and JD. i liked most of the characters and settings (the witch house). The story was very good and kept me very interested. i can't wait to see what Mr. Hendrix comes up with next!
June 24, 2021
I was going to give this two stars because there were parts of it I enjoyed, but honestly this is like a sketch of a novel. Even though the style is very easy to read, I didn't understand what was happening. The plot was not what i was expecting, this is mostly a woman running away and trying not to get killed, and the mythology is confusing and doesn't really make any sense. The characters are paper thin and I didn't understand the motivations or the relationships of anyone because they were barely developed. There's a cool novel in there somewhere, but this isn't it.
May 2, 2023
This is the book that Queen of the Damned should have been. We Sold Our Souls is engaging, exciting, bloody, romantic and musical all at once. I absolutely loved it and cannot wait for my husband (a big music fan and horror buff) to read it as I think he will also adore this story. For sure I will be purchasing a paperback copy to add to our library and strategically leave on his side table to read.
The only 'problem' I could really find with Grady Hendrix's story is that I want the fictional band(s) to exist so bad!
Music
It's rare that someone can write a story in which you can hear the music they are describing. I don't know if it's because the lyrics are prevalent throughout the story, or that our characters describe the feeling of being lost in the heavy metal music so well; either way it's like We Sold Our Souls is belting out a metal lyric from its static pages. I could see musical geniuses like Corey Taylor (Slipknot, Stone Sour), Jonathan Davis (Korn) or Tobias Forge (Ghost) being perfect to write the music to go with the lyrics. It would also be ironic as both Taylor and Davis are in bands that are mocked in the book as not being 'metal enough'.
Music Snobbery
Which brings me to the one thing that might bug some readers, music snobbery. If you are not a big music fan you might not really understand the elitist attitude that our (primary) lead gal has (a member of the main fictional band). In the music industry, especially in metal and punk, there are things you just don't do or compromise on (generally with a record label). These are what will get you labelled a 'sell-out'. That said, as someone who knows a fair bit about the music industry, the reality is that generally well known and successful bands in these genres are mocked because everyone is jealous of their massive success. Like it or not when we are being snobby it's usually because we desire something someone else has that we wish we did or are trying to justify why we haven't made it big. I believe that is exactly what is happening to our lead gal here. So take the snobbery with a grain of salt and you'll coast past this issue.
Genre all it's own
If there was a genre that encompassed music, horror and fantasy all together then We Sold Our Souls would be at the forefront of it. It's so hard to say where this book should sit in a library or bookstore. It has magic, bloody killings, musical influence (including as many fictional bands as real ones mentioned) and an overall atmosphere that bleeds dread. It could be called a thriller. I could even see some calling it an inspirational story about doing what you know is right. Seriously it just has so much rolled into it.
Premise Seems Silly?
When you read the blurb to Hendrix's novel you might think to yourself that it sounds cheesy. It's true that at times it comes off that way. But I dare anyone not to get sucked into the reality presented in We Sold Our Souls. Once you accept things for what they are; I guarantee you will be unable to put this book down. It's one of the fastest reads I have had this year to date; and yet I wanted it to never end.
Characters, Plot, Symbolism, etc.
I could probably write a whole term paper or thesis about all the meanings and symbolism in We Sold Our Souls. It's got a depth you just wouldn't expect from a horror story about musicians. I love how the lyrics of the songs are intertwined with the events of the book and feelings of our characters. At times, especially in the lyrics of the songs, Hendrix really spoke to my Pagan soul. (side note: it amuses me that the author's last name is Hendrix and they wrote a book with a musician lead. I wish one of the characters was named Jimi, even if only a minor one, lol).
Overall
If you love metal music, read this. If you love horror, read this. If you love reading the personal journey of a character to 'find themselves', read this. Like a lot of music is, this is a look into the soul of selfish, snobby musicians and the ultimate price they (seemingly inevitably pay) to be successful.
But seriously, can someone please make this into a movie and create the fictional band's music?
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
The only 'problem' I could really find with Grady Hendrix's story is that I want the fictional band(s) to exist so bad!
Music
It's rare that someone can write a story in which you can hear the music they are describing. I don't know if it's because the lyrics are prevalent throughout the story, or that our characters describe the feeling of being lost in the heavy metal music so well; either way it's like We Sold Our Souls is belting out a metal lyric from its static pages. I could see musical geniuses like Corey Taylor (Slipknot, Stone Sour), Jonathan Davis (Korn) or Tobias Forge (Ghost) being perfect to write the music to go with the lyrics. It would also be ironic as both Taylor and Davis are in bands that are mocked in the book as not being 'metal enough'.
Music Snobbery
Which brings me to the one thing that might bug some readers, music snobbery. If you are not a big music fan you might not really understand the elitist attitude that our (primary) lead gal has (a member of the main fictional band). In the music industry, especially in metal and punk, there are things you just don't do or compromise on (generally with a record label). These are what will get you labelled a 'sell-out'. That said, as someone who knows a fair bit about the music industry, the reality is that generally well known and successful bands in these genres are mocked because everyone is jealous of their massive success. Like it or not when we are being snobby it's usually because we desire something someone else has that we wish we did or are trying to justify why we haven't made it big. I believe that is exactly what is happening to our lead gal here. So take the snobbery with a grain of salt and you'll coast past this issue.
Genre all it's own
If there was a genre that encompassed music, horror and fantasy all together then We Sold Our Souls would be at the forefront of it. It's so hard to say where this book should sit in a library or bookstore. It has magic, bloody killings, musical influence (including as many fictional bands as real ones mentioned) and an overall atmosphere that bleeds dread. It could be called a thriller. I could even see some calling it an inspirational story about doing what you know is right. Seriously it just has so much rolled into it.
Premise Seems Silly?
When you read the blurb to Hendrix's novel you might think to yourself that it sounds cheesy. It's true that at times it comes off that way. But I dare anyone not to get sucked into the reality presented in We Sold Our Souls. Once you accept things for what they are; I guarantee you will be unable to put this book down. It's one of the fastest reads I have had this year to date; and yet I wanted it to never end.
Characters, Plot, Symbolism, etc.
I could probably write a whole term paper or thesis about all the meanings and symbolism in We Sold Our Souls. It's got a depth you just wouldn't expect from a horror story about musicians. I love how the lyrics of the songs are intertwined with the events of the book and feelings of our characters. At times, especially in the lyrics of the songs, Hendrix really spoke to my Pagan soul. (side note: it amuses me that the author's last name is Hendrix and they wrote a book with a musician lead. I wish one of the characters was named Jimi, even if only a minor one, lol).
Overall
If you love metal music, read this. If you love horror, read this. If you love reading the personal journey of a character to 'find themselves', read this. Like a lot of music is, this is a look into the soul of selfish, snobby musicians and the ultimate price they (seemingly inevitably pay) to be successful.
But seriously, can someone please make this into a movie and create the fictional band's music?
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
May 18, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
That was weird. Even for Grady Hendrix. Good and fun weird, but still weird. Kris is a brilliant main character and I thought the concept of the story was exceptionally cool. Things got a bit confusing at points with some of the more terrifying elements needing a bit more airtime in my opinion. Still a great read!
That was weird. Even for Grady Hendrix. Good and fun weird, but still weird. Kris is a brilliant main character and I thought the concept of the story was exceptionally cool. Things got a bit confusing at points with some of the more terrifying elements needing a bit more airtime in my opinion. Still a great read!
April 15, 2023
Grady Hendrix Rocks!! Troglodyte Rocks!
What a roller coaster of a ride this was.
This was my third time reading Grady Hendrix and as predicted it didn't disappoint at all.
This book had it all. From the well-drawn characters to high-speed action and those more tender moments. Not to mention one moment of horrific gore that really stuck with me since.
I'd highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys horror or even enjoys a laugh or two at the same time. Grady Hendrix has his own unique voice and it cries out at its loudest from within this novel.
'You like drugs, you like brew, you won't believe what I can do'
Writing this was a right pain in the backside. I really cannot get my thoughts straight regarding this book.
What a roller coaster of a ride this was.
This was my third time reading Grady Hendrix and as predicted it didn't disappoint at all.
This book had it all. From the well-drawn characters to high-speed action and those more tender moments. Not to mention one moment of horrific gore that really stuck with me since.
I'd highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys horror or even enjoys a laugh or two at the same time. Grady Hendrix has his own unique voice and it cries out at its loudest from within this novel.
'You like drugs, you like brew, you won't believe what I can do'
Writing this was a right pain in the backside. I really cannot get my thoughts straight regarding this book.
June 11, 2023
Rock-n-Roll Banger!
Very small backstory:
Kris Pulaski used to be a lead guitarist in the heavy metal band, Durt Wurk but times have become hard and now she works in a hotel as a manager. Kris finds out something so shocking from her past that involves the lead singer Terry from Durt Wurk for his rise to fame that she sets out on a quest to hunt him down to find out why he made a pact with the devil!
That is about I can give on a small backstory without giving away spoilers, so if you are intrigued then go read this book!
Thoughts:
This book was soaked in heavy metal which was about the coolest book I have ever read in fiction! The author went deep into the metal scene and even had the chapters named as album titles. I loved seeing some very recognizable band names within this book and it was almost like a salute to them which was very cool reading.
I loved the character, Kris as she was a no-nonsense person that was not going to take crap from anyone and she just goes into a "take charge" mode as she goes after the band leader.
I haven't read much by this author except for his book Paperbacks from Hell which is another awesome book, but I am going to start reading more of his work as he has quite a few books out there that look spectacular. Giving this book four "Heavy Metal Horror" guitar stars!
Very small backstory:
Kris Pulaski used to be a lead guitarist in the heavy metal band, Durt Wurk but times have become hard and now she works in a hotel as a manager. Kris finds out something so shocking from her past that involves the lead singer Terry from Durt Wurk for his rise to fame that she sets out on a quest to hunt him down to find out why he made a pact with the devil!
That is about I can give on a small backstory without giving away spoilers, so if you are intrigued then go read this book!
Thoughts:
This book was soaked in heavy metal which was about the coolest book I have ever read in fiction! The author went deep into the metal scene and even had the chapters named as album titles. I loved seeing some very recognizable band names within this book and it was almost like a salute to them which was very cool reading.
I loved the character, Kris as she was a no-nonsense person that was not going to take crap from anyone and she just goes into a "take charge" mode as she goes after the band leader.
I haven't read much by this author except for his book Paperbacks from Hell which is another awesome book, but I am going to start reading more of his work as he has quite a few books out there that look spectacular. Giving this book four "Heavy Metal Horror" guitar stars!
December 22, 2022
This book surprised me so so much. It has got its claws into me. I loved the celebration of music more than anything else, it felt so relatable. One of my fave books by Hendrix so far!
January 25, 2023
“A girl with a guitar never has to apologize for anything.”
I have been seeing Grady Hendrix’s name around on Goodreads for ages, and I’ve been curious: tongue-in-cheek horror, how is that supposed to work? I usually like my horror cosmic and existentialist (I am a basket of giggles, I know!), but at the same time, how does one resist the hook of musicians selling their souls for success? It’s the oldest trope in the book since Robert Johnson (and winked at hilariously in “Jennifer’s Body”, if you can stand Megan Fox). And while I lean more towards punk, I like to think I know my metal well enough to appreciate how much geeking out about the genre Hendrix stuffed in this novel (you don’t have to listen to metal to read this, by the way, but if you do, the references and winks – not to mention the dressing down of nu metal – will make you snort incessantly).
Kris Pulaski once was the lead guitarist of a metal band called Durt Wurk. They might not have been a big deal, but they were the real deal, and it meant everything to her. Then one day, their lead singer Terry decided to go solo, screwing the rest of the band over through a nebulously worded contract and launched himself as an alt-metal mega-success à la Marilyn Manson. Now Kris works in a crappy hotel in her crappy Pennsylvania town, and she is completely aimless. After a particularly bad day, Kris notices the huge billboards for Terry’s farewell tour and she decides that she wants to find him, if only to give him a piece of her mind – but a violent and tragic incident leads her to believe there might be more going on with Terry than she could have imagined. In parallel with Kris’ journey, we follow Melanie, a die-hard fan of Terry’s solo project, Koffin, who wants to get the hell out of her dead-end job and dead-end relationship, and start a new chapter of her life by attending Terry’s final show.
This book was just so much fun. I think it has it’s flaws, but I enjoyed reading it so damn much that I am happy to forgive imperfections. I also don’t think Hendrix was going for very high-brow here, and for the kind of book this is, it’s a wonderful, weird ride. It pokes fun at all the stereotypes one can associate with metalheads, but in that loving way. I think it was Christopher Guest who said that you can only do satire about something you really love, and that’s what is going on here.
I really appreciate that Hendrix does such a good job of capturing the feeling of holding a guitar, and wrestling with it and trying to make not unpleasant noise come out of it – and the soothing, deeply satisfying feeling you get when that works out and music happens. The scenes of Kris playing guitar took me back to my own music days, and I loved it. He also really nails the less pleasant aspects of being a woman who enjoys so-called alternative music and wants to play it because it’s what speaks to her: the condescending attitude from men (“Are those your boyfriend’s drums? Do you know where to plug that cable? Metalcore is chick-metal!”), the unwanted sexual advances, the anxiety of being in a very heavily male-dominated environment where it can be really difficult to feel safe… The festival bits where Melanie doesn’t know who she can trust frightened me more than the supernatural elements.
I think he also does an amazing job of painting a picture of the ugly underbelly of America, the one where you are trapped in a dead-end even if you pinch every penny, where people live in small towns that are broken down to the point where they feel post-apocalyptic and how people cope (or don’t cope) with such circumstances. Demons are horrible, but the slow erosion of humanity via economic depression and increasingly unbridgeable social stratification is fucking terrifying too.
This was a very readable and very enjoyable little joyride into the weird world of metal and music geekery. It wasn’t especially horrifying or scary, but Kris is a wonderful character I rooted for until the last page, and I am glad she is out there, with her guitar, not apologizing.
"Metal never dies. Metal never retreats. Metal never surrenders."
I have been seeing Grady Hendrix’s name around on Goodreads for ages, and I’ve been curious: tongue-in-cheek horror, how is that supposed to work? I usually like my horror cosmic and existentialist (I am a basket of giggles, I know!), but at the same time, how does one resist the hook of musicians selling their souls for success? It’s the oldest trope in the book since Robert Johnson (and winked at hilariously in “Jennifer’s Body”, if you can stand Megan Fox). And while I lean more towards punk, I like to think I know my metal well enough to appreciate how much geeking out about the genre Hendrix stuffed in this novel (you don’t have to listen to metal to read this, by the way, but if you do, the references and winks – not to mention the dressing down of nu metal – will make you snort incessantly).
Kris Pulaski once was the lead guitarist of a metal band called Durt Wurk. They might not have been a big deal, but they were the real deal, and it meant everything to her. Then one day, their lead singer Terry decided to go solo, screwing the rest of the band over through a nebulously worded contract and launched himself as an alt-metal mega-success à la Marilyn Manson. Now Kris works in a crappy hotel in her crappy Pennsylvania town, and she is completely aimless. After a particularly bad day, Kris notices the huge billboards for Terry’s farewell tour and she decides that she wants to find him, if only to give him a piece of her mind – but a violent and tragic incident leads her to believe there might be more going on with Terry than she could have imagined. In parallel with Kris’ journey, we follow Melanie, a die-hard fan of Terry’s solo project, Koffin, who wants to get the hell out of her dead-end job and dead-end relationship, and start a new chapter of her life by attending Terry’s final show.
This book was just so much fun. I think it has it’s flaws, but I enjoyed reading it so damn much that I am happy to forgive imperfections. I also don’t think Hendrix was going for very high-brow here, and for the kind of book this is, it’s a wonderful, weird ride. It pokes fun at all the stereotypes one can associate with metalheads, but in that loving way. I think it was Christopher Guest who said that you can only do satire about something you really love, and that’s what is going on here.
I really appreciate that Hendrix does such a good job of capturing the feeling of holding a guitar, and wrestling with it and trying to make not unpleasant noise come out of it – and the soothing, deeply satisfying feeling you get when that works out and music happens. The scenes of Kris playing guitar took me back to my own music days, and I loved it. He also really nails the less pleasant aspects of being a woman who enjoys so-called alternative music and wants to play it because it’s what speaks to her: the condescending attitude from men (“Are those your boyfriend’s drums? Do you know where to plug that cable? Metalcore is chick-metal!”), the unwanted sexual advances, the anxiety of being in a very heavily male-dominated environment where it can be really difficult to feel safe… The festival bits where Melanie doesn’t know who she can trust frightened me more than the supernatural elements.
I think he also does an amazing job of painting a picture of the ugly underbelly of America, the one where you are trapped in a dead-end even if you pinch every penny, where people live in small towns that are broken down to the point where they feel post-apocalyptic and how people cope (or don’t cope) with such circumstances. Demons are horrible, but the slow erosion of humanity via economic depression and increasingly unbridgeable social stratification is fucking terrifying too.
This was a very readable and very enjoyable little joyride into the weird world of metal and music geekery. It wasn’t especially horrifying or scary, but Kris is a wonderful character I rooted for until the last page, and I am glad she is out there, with her guitar, not apologizing.
"Metal never dies. Metal never retreats. Metal never surrenders."
August 24, 2019
3.5 Stars
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.
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.
May 24, 2023
Dürt Würk, a heavy metal band, was on the verge of success in the 1990's. They were slaying it until their lead singer, Terry Hunt, left to pursue a solo career. He renamed himself Koffin and became a HUGE success leaving his previous bandmates in his dust.
Kris Pulaski was a guitarist in Dürt Würk. She was a great heavy metal guitarist but is now a broke night manager at Best Western. Then she makes a discovery, Terry aka Korrin's rise to fame came at a cost - her soul!
So, Kris hits the road to reunite with her former bandmates so they can confront the man who ruined their musical careers by selling their souls. Can Kris and her guitar save them? Will it be that easy? What do you think?
This was a fun book and a fun audiobook. I enjoyed the narration as much as I did the plot in this book. Most have heard about selling your soul to the devil to get ahead, but Grady puts his own stamp on it by having people's souls sold without their knowledge.
This book had music, horror, humor, blood, and a strong female guitarist. What more could one want?
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Kris Pulaski was a guitarist in Dürt Würk. She was a great heavy metal guitarist but is now a broke night manager at Best Western. Then she makes a discovery, Terry aka Korrin's rise to fame came at a cost - her soul!
So, Kris hits the road to reunite with her former bandmates so they can confront the man who ruined their musical careers by selling their souls. Can Kris and her guitar save them? Will it be that easy? What do you think?
This was a fun book and a fun audiobook. I enjoyed the narration as much as I did the plot in this book. Most have heard about selling your soul to the devil to get ahead, but Grady puts his own stamp on it by having people's souls sold without their knowledge.
This book had music, horror, humor, blood, and a strong female guitarist. What more could one want?
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
June 20, 2019
4.5*
WE SOLD OUR SOULS, by Grady Hendrix, is a psychologically intense novel involving a one-time metal band and the power inherent in their music and lyrics. Years ago, five people formed a band called "Durt Wurk"--a band that was good, and had the potential to be great. Then came the day that their lead singer, Terry Hunt, decided he wanted more . . .
Kris Pulaski--now nothing more than a motel clerk--clearly remembers her triumphant struggle to where she knew they had something special. Her memories of after Terry are more fuzzy.
". . . Once upon a time, Kris Pulaski had beaten entire rooms into submission . . ."
Her meaningful guitar riffs had a power she worked years to cultivate into that perfection. They were not entirely forgotten, but clearly pushed aside for a mundane job she had no passion for.
". . . the riff that said they all underestimated her, they didn't know what she had inside, they didn't know that she could destroy them all."
After a particularly depressing work night, Kris notices a billboard on her way home, proclaiming the farewell tour of Koffin--The Blind King.
The band Terry Hunt left them to start up on his own.
Suddenly, half-remembered images of their final night together start coming back to her. Although missing some crucial elements, Kris has an inexplicable feeling that something larger than all of them--and much worse--was about to happen.
". . . I don't believe in coincidence. The universe always has a plan. It's our job to perceive it . . . "
Grady Hendrix weaves this tale of a heavy metal group--before and after its heyday--with such accurate descriptions that you'll feel you were with them all along. His characters are real, complex individuals that make the story come alive. The urgency and pacing increase perfectly as the novel keeps going, bringing crucial revelations and scenes from the past to complete the picture in our minds.
". . . Nothing is ever really good or bad, it's all about your perspective."
As Kris rallies herself and sets off on a journey she never anticipated, the gaps in her memory take form as much for the reader as for her mission. Although completely from Hendrix's imagination, I couldn't help but get a "Lovecraftian" vibe from this novel--I mean that as the highest compliment.
". . . you fought with the weapons you had, not with the ones you wished for . . . "
The music--both tone and lyrics--play an integral role here. Anyone who's ever felt the "power" or "emotion" of a song can relate to this. The dynamics of the band, their roles and talents, made them seem more like a family in their early days.
"A girl with a guitar never has to apologize for anything."
This story worked so well on an emotional level, as well as the terror, fear, psychological, and physical horrors that are portrayed. The feelings evoked become real to us, and I think that many will be able to identify with some of the more "universal" themes brought up here.
". . . She'd found her best friend, and he was broken."
As the novel progressed further into "unknown territory", I still felt as though it was the "natural" way this story had to unfold.
". . . it is possible to be crazy and paranoid and totally insane and still be right . . . "
Overall, I loved Hendrix's style and the way he incorporated the band's beginning, end, and things that occurred in between, in such a manner that it all felt right--that this was the only way it could have happened. There was never a point where I felt that too much information was being thrown at me just to get it out there. Rather, the pacing was set so well that we are able to glean just as much information as we need, when we need it.
". . . Metal never dies. Metal never retreats. Metal never surrenders . . . "
Personally, I'd love to visit this world of Hendrix's again in the future.
Highly recommended!
WE SOLD OUR SOULS, by Grady Hendrix, is a psychologically intense novel involving a one-time metal band and the power inherent in their music and lyrics. Years ago, five people formed a band called "Durt Wurk"--a band that was good, and had the potential to be great. Then came the day that their lead singer, Terry Hunt, decided he wanted more . . .
Kris Pulaski--now nothing more than a motel clerk--clearly remembers her triumphant struggle to where she knew they had something special. Her memories of after Terry are more fuzzy.
". . . Once upon a time, Kris Pulaski had beaten entire rooms into submission . . ."
Her meaningful guitar riffs had a power she worked years to cultivate into that perfection. They were not entirely forgotten, but clearly pushed aside for a mundane job she had no passion for.
". . . the riff that said they all underestimated her, they didn't know what she had inside, they didn't know that she could destroy them all."
After a particularly depressing work night, Kris notices a billboard on her way home, proclaiming the farewell tour of Koffin--The Blind King.
The band Terry Hunt left them to start up on his own.
Suddenly, half-remembered images of their final night together start coming back to her. Although missing some crucial elements, Kris has an inexplicable feeling that something larger than all of them--and much worse--was about to happen.
". . . I don't believe in coincidence. The universe always has a plan. It's our job to perceive it . . . "
Grady Hendrix weaves this tale of a heavy metal group--before and after its heyday--with such accurate descriptions that you'll feel you were with them all along. His characters are real, complex individuals that make the story come alive. The urgency and pacing increase perfectly as the novel keeps going, bringing crucial revelations and scenes from the past to complete the picture in our minds.
". . . Nothing is ever really good or bad, it's all about your perspective."
As Kris rallies herself and sets off on a journey she never anticipated, the gaps in her memory take form as much for the reader as for her mission. Although completely from Hendrix's imagination, I couldn't help but get a "Lovecraftian" vibe from this novel--I mean that as the highest compliment.
". . . you fought with the weapons you had, not with the ones you wished for . . . "
The music--both tone and lyrics--play an integral role here. Anyone who's ever felt the "power" or "emotion" of a song can relate to this. The dynamics of the band, their roles and talents, made them seem more like a family in their early days.
"A girl with a guitar never has to apologize for anything."
This story worked so well on an emotional level, as well as the terror, fear, psychological, and physical horrors that are portrayed. The feelings evoked become real to us, and I think that many will be able to identify with some of the more "universal" themes brought up here.
". . . She'd found her best friend, and he was broken."
As the novel progressed further into "unknown territory", I still felt as though it was the "natural" way this story had to unfold.
". . . it is possible to be crazy and paranoid and totally insane and still be right . . . "
Overall, I loved Hendrix's style and the way he incorporated the band's beginning, end, and things that occurred in between, in such a manner that it all felt right--that this was the only way it could have happened. There was never a point where I felt that too much information was being thrown at me just to get it out there. Rather, the pacing was set so well that we are able to glean just as much information as we need, when we need it.
". . . Metal never dies. Metal never retreats. Metal never surrenders . . . "
Personally, I'd love to visit this world of Hendrix's again in the future.
Highly recommended!
January 25, 2024
Aviso: no soy objetiva.
¡Me ha flipado! Se supone que soy una adulta seria y respetable, pago mis impuestos, no dejo de estudiar, trabajo más de 40 horas semanales desde que empecé, me he comprado recientemente -sic- mis primeros pantalones beige y hasta me peino, pero... ¡qué cojones! No engaño a nadie, en realidad lo que más me ha definido en mi vida es ser metalera.
Es que no hay nada en la vida como estar en el foso de un concierto gritando hasta desgañitarse, medir tus ritmos vitales de concierto en concierto o cantar a voces en el coche una canción con guturales después de un día jodido. Y esta novela describe muy bien todo eso y mucho más. Grady Hendrix, eres sorprendente.
Me lo he pasado genial leyendo este libro, con la banda sonora y los chascarrillos. Kris Pulaski, puta jefaza. Y es que desde que abre con Warlock y su "True as steel" sabes que no puede venir nada malo.
Me ha dejado loca la mención a Youngblood y su señora en los agradecimientos, igual que ya me había extrañado la doble mención de Kamelot en el festi entre grupos americanos (¿Serán colegas? Ya me da algo, tengo que investigar). Bueno, y el momento de Kris copiando para el tema de la mariposa el estilo de Mark Knopfler, brutal. Hendrix, sal de mi cabeza.
Por poner un punto negativo, la versión en castellano no tiene el canto de la páginas en negro y para colmo está lleno de erratas. Minotauro, tienes un email. Con ayuda para la segunda edición, porque soy un encanto.
Perdón por el entusiasmo sin criba. Bueno, qué coño, nada de perdón:
"Una mujer con una guitarra no tiene que disculparse por nada."
Brutal.
¡Me ha flipado! Se supone que soy una adulta seria y respetable, pago mis impuestos, no dejo de estudiar, trabajo más de 40 horas semanales desde que empecé, me he comprado recientemente -sic- mis primeros pantalones beige y hasta me peino, pero... ¡qué cojones! No engaño a nadie, en realidad lo que más me ha definido en mi vida es ser metalera.
Es que no hay nada en la vida como estar en el foso de un concierto gritando hasta desgañitarse, medir tus ritmos vitales de concierto en concierto o cantar a voces en el coche una canción con guturales después de un día jodido. Y esta novela describe muy bien todo eso y mucho más. Grady Hendrix, eres sorprendente.
Me lo he pasado genial leyendo este libro, con la banda sonora y los chascarrillos. Kris Pulaski, puta jefaza. Y es que desde que abre con Warlock y su "True as steel" sabes que no puede venir nada malo.
Me ha dejado loca la mención a Youngblood y su señora en los agradecimientos, igual que ya me había extrañado la doble mención de Kamelot en el festi entre grupos americanos (¿Serán colegas? Ya me da algo, tengo que investigar). Bueno, y el momento de Kris copiando para el tema de la mariposa el estilo de Mark Knopfler, brutal. Hendrix, sal de mi cabeza.
Por poner un punto negativo, la versión en castellano no tiene el canto de la páginas en negro y para colmo está lleno de erratas. Minotauro, tienes un email. Con ayuda para la segunda edición, porque soy un encanto.
Perdón por el entusiasmo sin criba. Bueno, qué coño, nada de perdón:
"Una mujer con una guitarra no tiene que disculparse por nada."
Brutal.
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