From the New York Times best-selling author of The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires comes a hard-rocking, spine-tingling horror novel. Every morning, Kris Pulaski wakes up in hell. In the 1990s she was lead guitarist of Dürt Würk, a heavy-metal band on the brink of breakout success until lead singer Terry Hunt embarked on a solo career and rocketed to stardom, leaving his bandmates … to stardom, leaving his bandmates to rot in obscurity.
Now Kris works as night manager of a Best Western; she’s tired, broke, and unhappy. Then one day everything changes—a shocking act of violence turns her life upside down, and she begins to suspect that Terry sabotaged more than just the band. Kris hits the road, hoping to reunite Dürt Würk and confront the man who ruined her life. Her journey will take her from the Pennsylvania rust belt to a celebrity rehab center to a satanic music festival.
A furious power ballad about never giving up, We Sold Our Souls is an epic journey into the heart of a conspiracy-crazed, pill-popping, paranoid country that seems to have lost its very soul.
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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!
I’m a sucker for a good rock n roll story and this one did not disappoint. It actually brought back some memories for me. Years ago, I worked at a magazine called 25th Parallel with the man who would later become Marilyn Manson. He was a bit too smart to sell his soul, but I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that he worked out a nice long-term lease. He was one hell of a negotiator. Transferring the feel of music to the printed page is no easy task and Grady Hendrix pulled it off perfectly here. An excellent story for anyone who likes their horror with a solid back-beat.
I loved this story!! Once I started I could not stop and ended up finishing it in one sitting. The drama between the characters, the paranormal element, and the music aspect just all of it was really amazing to me. Plus I felt it was really well written. Kris set out to set things right with her former bandmate and ended up a legend, well at least in my eyes. A truly great read with just the right amount of creepiness.
” 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.*
Let me be frank, BRUTALLY FUCKING FRANK! There’s nothing quite as exhilarating as reading a heavy-metal horror epic, complete with thrashing guitars, crushed bones and major internal bleeding. I remember showing up at the hospital one night after a Manson concert, thinking the whole neck thing was totally worth the experience.
Grady Hendrix (if that is his real name) delivered a powerful and raw experience with We Sold Our Souls, although I wouldn’t classify it as a masterpiece of prose. The syntax was ripe, though. It reminded me of watching Metalocalypse with some of the intense Viking Metal scenes and the even more nerve-wrecking “tight spaces” incidents (read it and you will know what I’m referring to here).
It wasn’t the best novel I’ve ever read, but it ranks pretty damn high. In terms of scoring the title, I gave it 92%, which means it’s one ripe-ass tomato!
Have you ever had so many thoughts about something that you couldn’t pick through them to properly articulate them all? This is exactly how I’ve been feeling about We Sold Our Souls by Grady Hendrix. What I feel is this was a total love letter to metal music and the fans who love it; We Sold Our Souls roped me in and took me on an unexpected journey that reminded me of some sort of epic Lord of the Rings / 80’s metal mashup full of references to music I grew up with, as well as the ever so popular nu metal (you love it or you hate it, and it was made perfectly clear how our characters felt about this particular genre of music throughout the book)
We follow the journey of Kris Pulaski, once so close to fame and fortune with her band Dürt Würk she could almost touch it, who now– decades later– works in a motel lobby cleaning up the occasional puddle of urine from an unruly guest or two after being sold out years prior by the bands lead singer. This all changes when she’s driving home from a particularly nasty days worth of work and spots a billboard with said lead singer on it, advertising his farewell tour. Memories start flooding in, but it’s the things she CAN’T remember that lead her on a journey to figure out what happened on the night when all hopes of success were destroyed.
This is my first experience reading anything by Grady Hendrix. I’d say my favorite thing about this book was his ability to so accurately depict the struggles of a woman with all odds against her. I also love the way of which he handled a certain younger female characters storyline. He didn’t make her out to be some completely airheaded, helpless damsel in distress and I really enjoyed and appreciated that.
If I’m being perfectly honest, I felt like this was the perfect book for me. Like all my previously useless knowledge of rock and metal finally paid off in a story where I actually understood all the references.
I would absolutely recommend it to fans of the genre, and also anyone who enjoys quality strong female characters in literature.
Words can’t describe how amazing and in a way even empowering it was to get to follow Kris on her journey, and to watch her overcome some truly horrific people and events, yet nothing was going to stop her from doing what she felt was right. Not without a fight, anyway. I look forward to reading more from the author, both his upcoming and previous works.
“it is possible to be crazy and paranoid and totally insane and still be right. Maybe the problem with everyone is that the world has become so insane they’re not out of their minds enough to comprehend it.”― Grady Hendrix, We Sold Our Souls
As someone who has been involved with music my entire life, I genuinely enjoyed this story and how Hendrix (HA!) writes about music.
This author is so talented. His stories are always unique and fun. Once again, he has worked his trademark cleverness into his chapter titles by using the names of heavy metal albums for each chapter.
Extra points since I’ve never read a book about heavy metal, let alone a horror story!
“She had nothing. Except her music.”― Grady Hendrix, We Sold Our Souls
I loved that the protagonist is a 40-something badass metal guitarist named Kris Pulaski. Don’t let that name fool you. She’s a RIGHTEOUS character! ROCK ON, SISTER!
“A girl with a guitar never has to apologize for anything.”― Grady Hendrix, We Sold Our Souls
We rarely hear about women in heavy metal bands, so I guarantee this book is going to stay with me. Wish I owned an actual copy of this book because it’s gorgeous!
One thing I love about Grady Hendrix: When he decides to write about a topic, whether it’s the 90s, middle aged housewives, heavy metal bands, or anything else, he nails his topic every time. He’s a genius and there’s no other author out there like him right now. I can’t wait for his new release this summer!
“Kris had been alive long enough to know it was dangerous when men accused you of being better than them.”― Grady Hendrix, We Sold Our Souls
“Hard rock, heavy metal, stoner rock, doom metal-it all dragged itself up out of the swamp called the blues.”― Grady Hendrix, We Sold Our Souls
“No one loves me! Boo hoo! Guess what? We play fucking metal! I don’t want to sing about your sad feelings! I want dragons.”― Grady Hendrix, We Sold Our Souls
This was SO FORKING METAL! I was just screaming by the end.
We Sold Our Souls is a fascinating and unique novel. I truly never have read anything quite like it. My interest in the novel is heightened by me being a life long heavy metal fan. I don’t know if I would have liked this nearly as much if the focus of the novel was say country instead of metal. That said, I think this novel worked in many different ways, and would still be a great read even if you had no interest in heavy metal.
For starters, the writing is really strong. The voice is loud and clear. The grammar, flow, and pace are all tight. I liked the way the author broke into the action with radio and television interviews or news reports to fill in the details. The characterization was also strong. Chris comes out loud and clear, as do some of the side characters. Even the villains in the story to a certain level are sympathetic and are not just evil for the sake of being evil. It’s easy to sympathize with a musician who will sell their soul not just for fame and fortune, but to be legendary, for their music to live on long after they are gone. There is a lot that I liked about this novel, and my complaints are only minor. This is a horror novel well worth reading.
Carl Alves – author of Beyond the Shadow
“A girl with a guitar never has to apologize for anything.”
–Badass! I now quote this line all the time.
Absolutely awesome! This is the first work by Grady Hendrix I’ve read, and now I want to read everything he’s written. We Sold Our Souls has made it onto my favorites list. The way he describes what it’s like to learn how to play guitar is so spot on, it makes me wonder if he was a fly on my wall when I was a teen learning how to play for the first time. He must be a guitar player in order to have described it so perfectly. That first chapter immediately hooked me because I could tell this guy knows what the fuck he’s writing about. All the musical references and the way he describes metal music is brilliant, and so spot-on to how I see the metal genre. The MKUltra referencing and all the brainwashing and detox facilities for “addict” celebrities and all the selling out and manipulation that goes on in the music biz is so true to life, I was immediately hooked. Oh, and I must say, besides the main character–Kris, who is a total badass chick, JD is an absolutely rad character. There is so much greatness in this book that I’m at a loss of what to say next. I absolutely love it! All of it! More, please!
METAL AF. This book rocked my mothertrucking socks off! I could read it again, and that’s saying something coming from me who never, ever rereads books.
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!
Maybe it’s because I’m a rock musician myself, but I found Grady Hendrix’s “We Sold Our Souls” to be an excellent read that I couldn’t put down. Coming on the heels of a couple of fairly lackluster reads, it was refreshingly fun.
Hendrix clearly knows his subject matter. In this case, that is the world and culture surrounding the genre of heavy metal music. The book follows the stories of the members of a HM band that never quite made it–though one member of the band quite literally sold the rest of them out and went on to superstardom. It examines the lyrical and musical content of a never-released concept album that was on the verge of completion at the time of the band’s demise, and the sad and disappointing existences of several of the musicians who were left behind.
Hendrix does a great job of using the lyrics of the never-released “Troglodyte” album, interweaving them with the action of the book in a way that heightens the drama while placing the action into a larger context. The tales of the musicians, and several of their fans, caught up in a world where HM music is being used to unleash harmful supernatural powers are powerfully intertwined with excerpts from magazine articles and radio interviews.
An excellent, frightening read for anyone, whether you love heavy metal or not.
The trope of selling one’s soul isn’t new, but this horror novel has new twists on the trope. Most entertainingly, Hendrix skewers modern America every which way.
2.5/5 Stars
First off – thank you Netgalley and the publisher for approving this book. It had been on my list to get for some time, but when I saw it available still I snagged it. So thank you.
This book on the surface appealed to me on a number of levels. I’ve heard great things about Hendrix’s storytelling capabilities and his writing shone through for me. His writing style was really easy to read and I was engaged quickly.
I ultimately struggled mightily with enjoying this one for a variety of reasons. A large portion of this review will have mild spoilers, so if you’ve not read it, please be warned I’m going to be specifically pointing out some story sections.
Maybe it’s because of my undying love of all things metal, or my attempt previously to have a band at one point, but I couldn’t connect with the storyline that Durt Wurk (apologies I don’t know how to make the umlauts) who were this band that was struggling to break through, before randomly the singer switched up his focus and became the biggest singer/rock star in the world. All in their crappy band house. The premise sounded so far-fetched it was laughable.
As the story progressed I began to relate this book to The Lord of the Rings, even to the point when the reference to an all-seeing eye began to be used. I even got a large hint of a Metalocalypse episode playing out.
The story focuses on Kris, former guitarist of Durt Wurk who wants revenge on Terry Hunt, former singer of Durt Wurk and now singer of Koffin. So when Terry announces his farewell tour, she decides to confront him, mayhem ensues.
Throughout Kris is confronted with otherworldly issues. Time and time again she refuses to believe them or accept the possibility of them being real, but she also frequently follows the path set forth by the unreleased Troglodyte album Durt Wurk had recorded before breaking up. I became frustrated with this continued disbelief and ultimately came to accept that this is what would happen at each specific key moment, and true to form it was.
Additionally – and the thing that frustrated me was the random inclusion of these underground creatures for one brief scene and then we kind of hear about them again at the conclusion of the story when the back details were revealed over the course of a few paragraphs about how Terry ended up becoming so big.
Lastly – and for some this will really sound nitpicky – but at the concluding concert we get various news reports about fires, chaos, deaths etc but the concert just keeps on going, as though somehow the underlying “nefarious” theme was controlling the people and the bands except the characters specifically discussed throughout the book.
I really wanted to like this, but ultimately it didn’t click for me for several reasons. I think there’s a really amazing story of a band and bandmates in there, it was just hijacked by too many numerous attempts at extra horror. I had a sense that there was maybe four or five short stories brewing that were then added together to make this a long read.
I have two other Hendrix books in my TBR and I’ll be looking forward to seeing if this book was just an outlier for me as the other two have also been highly recommended by other people.