The loop

Jeremy Robert Johnson’s THE LOOP is a tightly coiled horror thriller. It reads like an action packed wind-up trap with multiple rows of serrated teeth. The expository narrative is revealed to the reader through the eyes and minds of its compact cast of well-wrought characters.

We learn of the horrific consequences of a biotech firm’s experiments through their direct observations and experiences, and we gradually discover the nature of the firm’s unethical research & development mostly from the imperiled character’s sharply realized, intelligent deductions. When this nightmarish scenario gets confirmed with some insight from one character who worked for the corporation responsible, the reader feels the relentless machinations of the trap getting locked into place.

What makes THE LOOP so satisfying is not just its fresh take on an old trope, but rather its topical insight on a terrifying scenario growing all the more plausible in today’s expanding technological market. This is a book so carefully and tautly executed that it propels the reader toward its dizzying, irrevocable climax and delivers a remarkable and gratifying ending.

There’s a good chance you’ll want to read it all over again right away to verify what you just finished reading really happened that way. At least, that’s the feeling it left me with. THE LOOP is fated to become an action-packed cinematic sensation, so read the book now before it hits theaters in the wake of the pandemic. THE LOOP is a novel that deserves all its accolades. It’s not just a well-executed story, but a cautionary fable tailor-made for our present day and age.

The Loop did something for me, most books never get close to doing. When you forget you are reading words, and find yourself ACTUALLY LIVING THE BOOK. Its a rare experience. A handful of books got me there. The Loop got me there. Its like the most delicious poisoned cocktail youve ever been emotionally drunk on.
This is definitely an evolution for the author, and youve got to hope that it didnt leave a dry husk in his place, because Jeremy Robert Johnson twists your mind like a wet rag. Every emotion you might have available to help you internalize this hyper speed story, is utilized. I flew through it so fast, and yet it sticks with me. All I can do is recommend you buy this book, settle down somewhere, and hold on tight. It doesnt spare any of the complicated machinery that drives the plot, but the plot still picks up speed- careening you down a cliff of excitement and tension. Hes got a voice that no one else quite has, and thats a rare thing in an overloaded market. Read this book and I can make a pretty confident guarantee that you will be a fan of it too.

I wanted to like this book. It certainly flowed really nicely, but I couldnt see the connections to The Loop (tabletop game)not necessarily a deal breaker but a warning for fans of the game.

The brutality and hopelessness of the book honestly kept this from being a four star book. Perhaps that was my own fault for not realizing it was more horror than sci fi but even as a fan of horror, it was too brutal for me.

Some spoilers below. I read a teaser review for this book that really made me want to read it but unfortunately it wasn’t nearly as good as I hoped. Characters are fairly stereotypical and have a single “flaw” that defines them (immigrant, poor, druggy, etc). The antagonist is loosely defined as either corporate culture, a psychopathic teenager, or a rapidly mutating octopus hive mind? Descriptions of the creatures themselves and the related science is well done, but gore and murder are fetishized to the point of verging on either unreadable or eyeroll. The ending is a major bummer. Overall it just wasn’t for me.

This book’s a non-stop thrill ride with very compelling characters. This book is my go-to example of how to craft a believable horror protagonist–someone who is experienced with trauma and violence, who actually might be able to fight back if they encounter it again rather than just freeze up. And in a survival situation like this, it’s easy to skimp on the character development, but JRJ’s not the kind of writer who takes the easy way out.

And, because it’s JRJ, when the full scope of the situation is revealed, I was totally blown away. Pick your cliche–jaw on the floor, mind blown, etc. They’re all appropriate, because this book is something quite special. Check it out!

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