On The Gathering Storm

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On The Gathering Storm // Book Trailer
Jason McIntyre's debut novel, On The Gathering Storm, is a story of fear, redemption, loss and consumerism. But it's also a parable on the persistence of hope. At 29, Hannah Garretty is pursuing her lifelong dream of being a paid photographer. But in a curl of circumstance, she's snatched from her bohemian life on the island and vanishes into a forest lair where unspeakable things have happened.

Reviews

Review by: J. Alexander Greenwood on April 17, 2011 :
Jason McIntyre possesses the most rare of gifts: the guts to open himself up completely combined with the ability to get it on the page. "On the Gathering Storm" fearlessly engages the reader with lush depictions of acts of cruelty, daily life and yes, horror. Perhaps most interesting, however, are the vulnerabilities of the characters--fully on view and intertwined with their determination to survive the trap in which they've been ensnared. I won't make the easy comparison to other great thriller writers--McIntyre's his own writer, one I'm delighted to read.
(reviewed 5 months after purchase)

Review by: Rachel Whitley on March 09, 2011 :
Horrific, intense, magnetic!

'On the Gathering Storm' is an all-too-real tale of terror, abduction, and one woman's will to survive. Jason Mcintyre's portrayal of Hannah Garretty is so compelling, that it's impossible to stop reading her story, even as the horrific scenes made me wish I'd never opened the book. Hannah becomes a real person, not just a character in a novel, and it's this facet of Mcintyre's craftsmanship that kept me turning the pages.

The first few chapters seem a bit slow and overly detailed, but as the story progresses, those earlier paragraphs crystalize into a picture of Hannah's mindset and motivations. During her imprisonment, Hannah's narrative, in the form of stream-of-consciousness, is unsettling, because it's all too easy to imagine oneself in that situation. I don't want to give away any of the plot, but the ending of the novel is startling! It turned a predictable plot, into something unforgettable.

'On the Gathering Storm' is not for readers who are disturbed by graphic violence. Otherwise, this book is for anyone who loves characters that become real people in the space of a novel, psychological suspense, and surprise endings.
(reviewed 2 days after purchase)

Review by: Ann Mauren on Dec. 18, 2010 :
At first glance, Hannah Garretty seems like a girl who’s got it all: she’s a head-turning beauty with a good job, great friends, and a particularly talented eye for photography. But there’s a flip side: she’s also got a crowded closet full of skeletons from her past and a frightening precognitive ability that fills her mind with a quick still frame-style glimpse of something yet to happen.

It’s one of these ‘Grasps’ that sets her on a path to save a young woman from terrible danger. Instead, she finds herself trapped in the middle of unspeakable horror. With so many demons in her past wearing her down, can she find the strength and will to face the one who holds her now?

This dark and chilling tale by Jason McIntyre marks his debut into the world of suspense novels, but you’d never guess that because his story plays in your mind like one told by a master of the craft. With a unique blend of beautiful, richly descriptive language and bursts of dynamic, realistic streams of thought from the heroine, McIntyre’s writing style had me gripped by the throat from the get go. Shifting seamlessly between her present, her past, and her visions of the future, the powerful subject matter is sometimes deeply disturbing but always riveting. Just like a real rainstorm, this story gets very dark as it builds with frightening intensity and booms and flashes in your mind. As the action comes to a head, themes of hope, endurance and courage shine like beams of light through scattering clouds once the storm begins to pass and the story winds down. It’s a wild, brutal, scary ride, but very satisfying after the air has cleared.

If you enjoy the power of a psychological tempest, ‘On The Gathering Storm’ was written for you.
(reviewed 12 days after purchase)

Review by: Joel Kirkpatrick on Dec. 10, 2010 :
Few things in life cannot be labeled; called by some alternate name, pasted to the thing with lazy affection. Guys name their cars – and rarely share them – women name each other as quietly, depending on what was being worn in public that day when the namee passed. We do it for fun. Jason McIntyre has turned it into an art form. Everything in ‘On the Gathering Storm’ is labeled. You realize when you get your mind around it; it is how his MC – Hannah - experiences her world. Right away we meet Mr. Mean Man, Unwashed Hair Girl, Bumper-Grinder – who soon becomes just Bumper.

This text seems so new to me, it’s like I’ve read nothing like it before, and I know I have. Bright, descriptive text is taught…everywhere. Readers hope and pray the next book they select will contain it. But, Jason is writing with neon colors, and they flicker at first, as neon does when it resists life with halts and blasts. When it settles, and you’ve really begun to hear the energy, the whole damned thing glows like nothing nearby. This book doesn’t pulse like the one, weak sign on the beer joint you pass each day, and never sit inside. Jason’s book glows like the entire flashing city strip you travel. Everywhere your eyes wander, your brain tells you to stop and go in. He uses single words as these lit things; capitalized as he desires, words as punctuation.

A standout sentence: ‘In. Out. In. Out.’

Even when Jason quotes (sings) lines of a familiar tune, the prose is changed to light, and shows you something more of where you are… Billy Boy. When others speak to Hannah, as if they’d become her own conscience, they are only trying to pierce all the other colors to reach her. These oddly illuminated words are flashes in Hannah’s mind, and she must soon grab at each neon-defined flash of sanity. While you were reading within the bursts of her thoughts, seeing and sensing her life in posed vignettes that only spring singly out of all the color when she passes…she has been drawn by one laser-like color, into hell. You could see it reflected out of her eyes, but you didn’t want to look directly at it. She had no choice, compelled by its Grasp. But, you are numb now, as Hannah is, drugged by light, and trapped.

What was in those words? What was in those pills? “Remember. The light was - ”

The dead numbness in your fingers, the overload of sensations in your thoughts, are not the veils of a heavily sweetened generic text; the sort of which you buy in the market paperbacks, or the cigarette-style shelves of your mall bookstore, but with labels that tell you nothing of the substances. You remember - this is something altogether too different- dispensed by the white lab coat, under light that hurts your eyes, and lab coat’s words were muted when lab coat seemed to wonder if you understood whether this mixture is right for you. The container he offered you seemed small, but he smiled; there is only one ingredient in this text and you are still experiencing the hyper-reality he, and it, caused. You’ve taken a full dose of undiluted Hipsoloquia Narrateglamorex. It shines so bright in your mind - Hannah’s mind - that it hurts, and every searing page will become a photograph in your memory.
(reviewed the day of purchase)

Review by: Darcia Helle on Nov. 17, 2010 :
Brutal. Disturbing. Engaging. Gripping. Moving. This book kept me up all night. First, because I had to finish it. Then because I couldn't shake it off.

Jason McIntyre doesn't tell a story. He steps out of the way and allows his characters to bring you in their world. Use caution when reading this one, however, as the characters might not allow you back out.
(reviewed 3 days after purchase)

Review by: Jenifer Avery on Nov. 16, 2010 :
EZ Read Staff Review:

Jason McIntyre has something of a large indie following on sites like Smashwords and Goodreads, both of which I prowl regularly. There’s something romantic about a cult following for an independent author in a publishing world always aiming for the next popcorn blockbuster movie deal. Sometimes “big” books seem like extended scripts, and more work lacks the kind of writing that doesn’t transfer onto the big screen. Fight the power! I chose “On the Gathering Storm” because as McIntyre’s debut, it’s also his most popular. Let’s just say I’m not ready to crawl back under The (Publishing) Man’s thumb just yet.



“On the Gathering Storm” is a gritty tale of survival for our heroine Hannah, who walks a fine line between sanity and insanity throughout. While the main portion of the narrative is a survival and captivity tale, we sink deep into Hannah’s mind and memories as she explores her past life and her development. It’s a dark and somewhat empowering story to read about Hannah, who may outwardly seem like the victim, but is inwardly a champion. It also says something about the victimization of women; challenging the assumption that they don’t have strength to overcome, to protect themselves. This book is violent, but challenging. It never feels like violence for the sake of it, which I think makes the harder parts more palatable. The nail-biting parts are still rough. I have two ulcers now, one named “Dexter” and one named “On the Gathering Storm”.



McIntyre, from a snooty-writerly-standpoint, has incredible style. His dark voice doesn’t just end when it’s convenient; he takes us on an inner journey with Hannah because it’s truthful to how her brain works. It’s as distinct and raw of a writer as I’ve read in a long time. It’s so easy for major label editors to take a writer’s voice and dice it into tidy bestseller blandness. It’s the same kind of “fancy” tone that litters the “New Yorker”, making everyone sound like the same writer. McIntyre isn’t afraid to “inconvenience” his readers with style, which makes the book stand out, and impressed me a ton.



A must read, but not for the faint of heart.
(reviewed the day of purchase)

Review by: Susan Haight on Nov. 10, 2010 :
Startling! Recommended!
(reviewed 37 days after purchase)

Review by: Alicia Torrence on Oct. 25, 2010 :
There is so much depth to this story and Hannah is like a real person with all the foibles and hopes and fears that many of us might have. I really liked this book and you will too. It's cheaper than a Starbucks and you'll have the memories of reading this woman's story long after the coffee cup has started to dust.
(reviewed 9 days after purchase)

Review by: Yngve Inntjore Levinsen on Oct. 20, 2010 :
I found the first half of the book to be jumping a bit too much here and there, without much purpose (very subjective statement this..). The second half definitely catches up and brings this into a exciting and thrilling story. All in all well worth the price, and worth reading!
(reviewed 21 days after purchase)

Review by: Brenda Sedore on Oct. 08, 2010 :
On the Gathering Storm is an interesting story of a young woman and her struggles to overcome adversity. Hannah Garrity began her struggles early when as a youngster, she fell into a well and for 18 hours was the media's darling. She grew up with what seemed to me a sense of impending doom always lingering behind her. I won't add any spoilers to this review, but Hannah goes through something horrific, which brings her nearly to the end of her endurance. We get a glimpse into the mind of someone struggling to maintain sanity in a mania-inducing situation.

It was hard to stomach some of the horror Hannah experiences but the only time I lost touch with the story was when she was in her brother's apartment. At that point I couldn't suspend my disbelief. It was too unreal and almost convenient. Otherwise, I was with it the whole way.

A good debut novel from an interesting new writer.
(reviewed 27 days after purchase)

Review by: Sheri G on Sep. 30, 2010 :
I found this book after reading reviews on Goodreads and seeing it again on some book blogs and on Amazon. I thought I better see what it was for myself.

The language of this story is beautiful and stands in stark contrast to the ugliness of what Hannah goes through. After reading it, Hannah really is like a friend. I'm about the same age as she is and I see my friends in her, people I know from school. There is some weird stuff going on here. Paranormal might be the right word but the book is still very grounded in the real world. These are true to life characters. The flashbacks are poignant and serve the current part of the story well, somewhat softening the horrific nature of what's happening now.

By the end, it's clear why Hannah does what she does. I don't want to ruin it for anyone, but the conclusion is satisfying and complete and makes sense in the context of everything taken together. Even still, it definitely did not turn out the way I expected! But that's a good thing in this world of cookie-cutter plots and stagnant stories. On The Gathering Storm really did bring a storm - one of emotion and thought about how violence can haunt the lives of women. Very well done for a male writer!
(reviewed 15 days after purchase)

Review by: Charlie Courtland on Sep. 29, 2010 :
The story is chalk full of vivid descriptions that are carefully constructed to forge a lasting impression. When you close your eyes, you will likely be haunted by Hannah's ordeal and the events of her life. What makes the story even more frightening is Hannah is a character that an everyday girl can relate to. She becomes as recognizable as a friend, a sister or a girl from work. Since I live in the Pacific Northwest, I am familiar with the setting (Canada) that is described. I could easily visualize each place and because of this, it made the terror even more real. Hints of the paranormal coming in the form of flash visions are introduced in the beginning. The insertion will be easy for even the most skeptical to accept because the character development and overall story is cemented in the now. Parts of the story are delivered in a series of flashbacks. I found myself deeply committed to these parts of the writing and felt the author squeezed all the use from penning the important scenes. Often, this technique can be flawed, but not in this graphic tale. I felt the flashback was actually a strength in the over all telling. A note: The story includes sexual detailing, violence and sexual violence related to a kidnapping that might be disturbing to some readers.

I'm a big fan of the simile, but this story was packed with them. I was pleased they were original and did not lead to cliches. However, in my humble opinion it was a touch over done. The scene involving Hannah at her brother's apartment loses it's footing and touch with reality. Up until then, I was on board with the flashes and paranormal visions. Also, the bad events that take place there are a bit hard to digest. At one point, I was thinking this is going to end up being just a 'dream' kind of book because this is too fantastical. Lastly, the epilogue threw me for a jerky loop. Epilogues used as a lead to a series or teaser are widely popular and I admit, I use them in my own stories. However, I detest epilogues used as a summary device. I don't want a sudden 'by the way' this is what happens to the characters (players) the next day, week or year. It feels insincere and frankly, rushed. I just spent three days of horror with this character and now I'm getting the rest of her life summed up in a few pages? I know some people dearly want to know, 'then what happened,' but I'm not that reader.
(reviewed 13 days after purchase)

Review by: Kevin Brighton on Sep. 08, 2010 :
A satisfying read! By the end I was exhausted but in a good way. The author takes us (and his main character) through the mud in this book but the ride is worth it. Kudos!
(reviewed 6 days after purchase)

Review by: Byron Mallene on Sep. 02, 2010 :
Saw this one in the most downloaded list and wondered what it was all about. The main character is nearly a real person. I wonder if the author based her on someone he knows. Hannah and her sisters. Ha! I get it. There's enough suspense and tension here to get the heart racing but there's also a real side to it. It's not like those thriller books where you have to suspend disbelief or think like an international spy. This could have really happened and probably does everyday. Somewhere in the world. I really liked this book.
(reviewed 8 days after purchase)

Review by: artielange on Aug. 18, 2010 :
Five stars! Grows up around you like a vine. Super storytelling!
(reviewed the day of purchase)

Review by: Shana on Aug. 12, 2010 :
I read this in two sittings-only stopped for dinner! Once it gets going, you NEED to find out what happens. I read his other one, Shed, and it is also an addictive read. I'm about the same age as Hanna and what I like is that he has created a very believable female lead, one that thinks and acts like a real woman at this age and living this lifestyle. It's like he builds an entire world and you are so immersed in it. I highly recommend this author!
(reviewed 2 days after purchase)

Review by: gskidz on Aug. 12, 2010 :
Stumbled across this one on the bestseller list and saw the positive reviews. What can I say, it had me at the opening car accident when Hannah has a vision of this "Unwashed Hair Girl" and what could be her abusive boyfriend. Ho-lee! It takes off from there and I was surprised at the combination of explosive event-style storytelling mixed with subtle nuances that you can either 'read into' or gloss over.

I'm always hesitant to spend money for ebooks when so many are free but so many are not this good. This one is worth it. This one is ready for the big leagues.
(reviewed the day of purchase)

Review by: Stucky on Aug. 11, 2010 :
Wow. This is one messed up story, and I mean that in the best way possible. That's a hell of a good debut novel, and I'm a fan of his other works on smashwords. (short story and novella). I'll be keeping an eye out for his next book.
(reviewed the day of purchase)

Review by: Will Kagan on Aug. 06, 2010 :
Great story.What he does here is pull you in by making you fall in love with Hannah and her world.whenshe is taken i needed to keep reading (until four in the morning!!) to see how it would turn out.
(reviewed the day of purchase)

Review by: D Skull on July 27, 2010 :
Wicked read. Comments from other reviewers are spot on! I just wished the book was longer...still good value for less than the price of a coffee.
(reviewed 2 days after purchase)

Review by: Dianne Lueck on July 09, 2010 :
Great read! Can't wait for his next book!
(reviewed 2 days after purchase)

Review by: Orange Girl on June 18, 2010 :
This story builds slowly in the first two chapters, getting all the building blocks in place in the first act. But the last half is tense and surreal.

Highly recommended!
(review of free book)

Review by: Lisa B on June 15, 2010 :
excellent read! this is a slow burn book at first. comes on like the heat of an august day and then breaks like a violent thunderstorm...
(reviewed the day of purchase)

Review by: Sarah Corbett on June 15, 2010 :
Although I don't usually find suspense stories to my liking, this one is different as it relied on me truly caring for Hannah, the main character. I found myself feeling sorry for her at different times and then feeling proud of her at different times, but then there'd be another unexpected bit of info about her background juxtaposed against the current twists to the story and my sympathy would switch back again. This is a book that I wished was longer. I wasn't done with Hannah's story even though the pages ran out.

While frightening in parts, this is a serious character book that shows us people can be challenged and make changes in their lives without it being sugary sweet. This is about real life, even if there are some unbelievable things that happen.

I'm sure I'll give it some time and then read this book again.

Thank you, Jason, well done!
(reviewed 5 days after purchase)

Review by: darthrider on June 11, 2010 :
This is an intense read; very suspenseful as it pulls you in deeper and deeper. Highly recommended if you like books about real characters that make you think about how we live our lives. Support indie authors - Buy it!
(reviewed 8 days after purchase)

Review by: Derek Vier on June 01, 2010 :
I could not put this down! "On The Gathering Storm" works on many levels. Learning about Hannah's life with her friends and her brother, the reason why she finds herself in trouble, it's all so intricate. There are deep layers of meaning as the interconnected-ness of her modern life overlaps with events from her past and with the people she knows, loves and hates. But then, the pace picks up and the story moves like a freight train, gathering steam towards an ending that I DID NOT SEE COMING. Jason McIntyre has an exciting new voice in fiction and one that I would like to hear again and again. I look forward to his next book!
(reviewed the day of purchase)

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