REVIEWS

What the Critics Said...

“John Everson is breathing some much-needed fresh air into my beloved genre. Fresh storylines, memorable lifelike characters, horrifying creatures and enough frights to keep you up late into the evening are only a few of the reasons you should be reading John Everson’s work. In his newest novel Siren, John chooses a mythological creature that is no stranger to those living along the oceans shores in ports of call around the world...John Everson is an original voice and rising star in horror fiction today. You are doing yourself a disservice if you don’t give his books a try. Siren should be at the top of your must read list and I highly recommend it.”— Famous Monsters of Filmland

“John Everson is the king of Erotic Horror... The writing is tighter than an airlock, the scenes just absolutely bleeding off the page, leaving you with the taste of saltwater in your mouth, begging for mercy.”— Paperback Horror

“The reason this read resonated with me so strongly, I think, is the way Everson plays with dichotomy throughout the narrative. Evan is terrified of the ocean but on some level he’s obsessed with it and wants desperately to go back in time, immerse himself in the water, and save his son. At one point, Evan is singing a Psychedelic Furs tune (“Forever Now”) just a few feet from a creature from Greek mythology. The Siren itself is simultaneously a seductive wet dream and a bladder-loosening nightmare. Everson also uses dichotomy by interweaving a storyline from 1887 with the modern-day one. And the thematic fusion of obsessing about death and obsessive sex make for a delightfully disturbing read... an exceptionally entertaining horror tale.”— Unabashedly Bookish, Barnes & Noble

"Siren has the distinction of being the [Leisure Horror] line’s last mass market release. At least they got something right. Covenant and Sacrifice brought the charming seaside town setting back to the present without any of the clichés that plagued it for decades. Both books excelled but for different reasons. Covenant’s smooth prose harkened back to classic horror with a tale Lovecraft would have been proud of while Sacrifice let loose with a wilder tale which connected to the first but more in the vein of classic Richard Laymon or Ed Lee. In the same setting comes Siren, a story which takes a mythical trope and breathes new life into it but also displaying the best writing Everson has produced so far. His prose fits the unpredictable shoreline: beautiful and rhythmic, yet sharp and sweeps the reader away just as he or she feels the magic is fading into the reality of ordinary lives... What truly brings Siren home and elevates him as an author to a new level is the relationship between Evan and his distraught wife. One could remove the supernatural aspect of this story and it would still hold strong. While the siren myth is handled better than anything else in memory, it is Ligeia’s human element which joins drama and horror together so well. Highly recommended." —Horror World

“John Everson has a strange fascination with the water and tragedy. His books Covenant and Sacrifice are a testament to the fact that whenever people get near a big open area of water, someone dies, and it's never pretty. This time around, death floats with an old sailor's myth, the Siren, and the result is a book that's one part gruesome, one part tragedy, and one part erotic thriller. ... Siren is easily one of Everson's best. This multi-layered story captures the reader with its ability to stir the emotions as well as repulse.”— Dread Central

“The prose is often romantic and highly erotic. The story flows like a light and airy day dream just as I imagine the Siren’s song. Everson does not challenge the reader’s gag reflex, but focuses instead on the psychology of his audience by luring the reader deeper into Ligeia’s dark world with his own haunting lullaby. Fans of Everson already will find he has entered entirely new territory with this dark fable. Siren is a big departure from his previous satanic/occult thrillers with more romantic elements than some gore-hounds may like. But, I encourage you to go into Siren without any expectation based on his earlier entries. Everson has peeled back another layer to reveal genre talent that is varied and complex while paying homage to an undeniably neglected player in the realm of dark folklore. He weaves fear and seduction into a haunted tale of loss, redemption, and frightening fatal attraction. So, what are you waiting for?! Go get Siren! Prepare to fall in love, and then get your head bitten off! You’ve been warned.”— Destroy The Brain

"Siren is an effective and scary horror tale. It encompasses the themes of grief and sexual obsession as well as the fury of a scorned lover, set against the backdrop of the beautiful and untamed ocean, which becomes a character in its own right." — Helium

"John Everson has done a fantastic job of bringing the ancient Greek mythology of the Siren to a modern horror story. He has kept her as the woman with the beautiful, alluring voice and when she allows Evan and others to see her, the beauty is flawless. Eventually we are allowed to see the ugly, vicious other-worldly creature she really is. I thought it was a sad story in the mourning that Evan and Sarah were doing, but as separate people. Reading the story you just know that if they had helped each other through the death of their son that they would be okay….but then again there wouldn’t be a novel to read. I like the messiness of SIREN. All of the characters are well developed and flawed in some way. The flaws make them more real. There truly is no happy ending here; it’s sad and chaotic for the people involved. I was very surprised by the twists the book took, and I live for endings that I don’t see coming. The pacing was also very good; there was no lag to SIREN and that’s one of the things that make for a great read. This would make a great book for first-time horror readers." — The Horror Fiction Review

"Siren is a book in which Everson brings another known demon of mythology into the world of today. It is a page-turner, and a really easy read. Everson does a great job taking the reader on a rollercoaster ride where you don’t know where the twists and turns will take you. I found myself trying to think ahead of the story, wondering what was going on with the character of Evan; was the Siren all in his head or was she real? Everson uses a psychological balance in the book that makes the reader wonder what is really going on with the character of Evan.... This is a book that will make any man who lives in or near the coast of any ocean feel uneasy about the beach and the water. Never trust a naked singing woman on the beach. All she wants is to screw you then eat you. That’s the moral of the story, and only Everson can tell it in such an uneasy, scary way." — Horror Review

"The book was very fun, and fast paced, and I enjoyed it. It was so refreshing to read a story that didn’t use the same old monsters that everything does. No zombies, no vampires, and no werewolves definitely made it unique for me. In fact, nearly all of the horror novels I have read lately involved at least one of those three creatures, but Everson stepped up his game and did something different, and I thank him for it. Horror should never become stale or predictable... The best thing about the book is the ending. I do not want to ruin it, but let me say that it is not a fairy tale ending where the good guys vanquish the monster and all is well and good in the world. Siren is much grittier and realistic, and it was a nice change from the standard “destroy the beast” plot that crops up over and over in this genre. Everson started with a different breed of monster, and he ends with a different note than most other authors, and I applaud him for it. The book is worth a read, and since it is a paperback, it won’t put a huge dent in your wallet. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I want to go track down Everson’s other novels. I have a feeling they’ll be well worth it." —Bloodsprayer.com

"Siren plays out on two levels; as a horror thriller and as a psychological family drama. There is also a second subplot that provides the audience with a late nineteenth century look at Ligeia’s past, which is a two edged sword depending on the reader’s taste; on the one hand it anchors the siren story line, but also detracts from the reader’s imagination of whether she is true or a desperate figment of grieving Evan’s psyche. Still this is a powerful thriller as John Everson uses the loss of an offspring as the springboard to the gripping Siren." — Genre Go Round

BLURBS for Siren:

SIREN is a richly lyrical and melancholic meditation on loss and desperate yearning. It is also a superbly effective exercise in soul-ripping terror. Modern horror doesn't get much better than this.
— Bryan Smith, author of Depraved

John Everson hits one out of the park and into deep water! SIREN is as wicked a tale of intense sexual obsession as any you're likely to read, and it'll definitely make you afraid -- very afraid -- of the water. If you weren't before, you will be after venturing into its pages. You won't be able to stop reading ... but beware - this sexy Siren has teeth, and she knows how to use 'em!
- W.D. Gagliani, Author of Wolf's Gambit

With SIREN, John Everson brings horror fiction back to its roots: scary, sexy and surprising. His best work yet!
- Jonathan Maberry, multiple Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The Wolfman and The Dragon Factory

John Everson has crafted a twisted fable of lust and obsession–with a very salty finish.
– Amber Benson, author of Death's Daughter and Cat's Claw

Fresh storylines, memorable lifelike characters, horrifying creatures and enough frights to keep you up late into the evening are only a few of the reasons you should be reading John Everson's work…This no simple monster story, this is a deep heart-tearing journey into every parent’s worst nightmare and John’s writing tears a deep chasm of sorrow. The atmosphere is pallid, desolate and dark…this is one hell of a story and Ligeia is one hell of a creature… SIREN should be at the top of your must-read list.
- Peter Schwotzer, Famous Monsters of Filmland

John Everson went to darkest part of subconscious to create a tale of terror that will leave you haunted, days after the last page is read.
- Brian Yount, Doorways Magazine

SCREAM QUEENS love Siren!

A thoroughly engaging tale, SIREN weaves through two centuries of history to turn a relatively obscure mythological creature into a highly sensuous modern antagonist. Everson's excellent prose and vivid storytelling riff on the depths of obsession and sexual addiction. Oh, and did I mention sex? Lots of it.
- Brinke Stevens, horror movie actress

Tautly sensual, obsessively dangerous, this Siren will get under your skin... with her teeth!
- Christa Campbell, actress

It was as if I was under a Siren's call myself. I had to read John Everson's SIREN in one sitting to get to the unexpected, chilling ending.
- Amy Lynn Best director and star of Splatter Movie: The Director's Cut