Unabridged Audiobook
Think Succession, but drenched in blood, demonic power plays, and ancient soul-trading dynasties. The Calamities was my first venture into the mind of Chuck Wendig-and to live inside that headspace must be a continuous nightmare. The scenes he constructs are gruesome, disturbing, and utterly brilliant. As the first installment in a duology, the story follows powerful ancient families descended from demons-now known as "fiends"-who barter with human souls. When internal unrest and ruthless scheming fracture the dynasty, a group of exiled outsiders is left to untangle the conspiracy before everything implodes. The characters are delightfully unhinged, yet despite their supernatural origins, their raw and messy human complexities keep them grounded and compelling. Leaning heavily into dark horror-fantasy, the story features ambitious world-building, though I found myself wishing for a bit more backstory and lore depth in certain areas. I'm hoping book two dives even deeper into those unanswered questions. The audiobook production was also superb. The four-person ensemble cast brings a theatrical energy to the story, delivering maniacal, chaotic character voices that elevated the entire experience well beyond what was on the page. The Calamities is viciously well written, delightfully unsettling, and left me satisfyingly grossed out. Bring on part two.
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