Jeremy Ray

The Gatherings were supposed to bring world peace. What they brought was the apocalypse. Celebrities, politicians, and other prominent figures put together The Gatherings, an event to be held worldwide promoting global peace. When a friend invites Emily to one of the gatherings in a secluded apple orchard, she obliges. Sure, she is an introverted writer, but the world is so fractured that The Gatherings are something even she can get behind. Everything is great until the dancing begins. Then it happens ... In most apocalyptic tales, the end comes by way of viral plague, world war, or robot invasion. Never in a million years could Emily imagine it would be this way. Will Emily survive to see what happens after the end of the world?

An Apocalyptic Short Story

The Gatherings

C. J. Daley 

I’ve read several things by this author now, but very nicely received this as a Christmas gift, so this is my first physical book by him! I really want to highlight the pocket size of this book because I love it. Crack the cover open, read it one-handed in the bath, eating a sandwich, walking your dog, scratching your leg…it’s great. 

This story is concise, heartfelt (as is this author’s usual!), interesting, and original while still reminiscent of others. It is, and isn’t, your typical outbreak or zombie story. It also is, and isn’t, your typical survival story. The opening of the story and the first person perspective added weight to the confusion, and to me it reminded me of Bird Box by Josh Malerman. The retelling of personal experience through their survival felt to me like the premise of World War Z by Max Brooks. The overall description of the Gatherings (the zombie/monster/thing) were something I pictured in my head that was very Stranger Things-esque, even though that show does not feature zombies whatsoever…but give this a read and then tell me what you picture!

What would you do if something that was meant to bring the world together, actually destroyed it? How would you cope, how would you survive? This is only a single persons tale of what they did, but now it’s time to GATHER. 

This is a great, quick, one-sitting read. It’s absolutely worth your time, money, and effort to read. Please give it a shot!

Becca Futrell

Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of The Gatherings in exchange for an honest review!

The Gatherings is an event hosted by leaders in order to create world peace — but instead, it brought on the apocalypse. In a very small number of pages, Jeremy Ray creates the end of the world in a way that we’ve never seen before.

I am absolutely in love with the way Jeremy Ray wrote this — not only is his writing & descriptions phenomenal — but we hear what’s being told through the main character, Emily, who’s writing at a desk & trying to share the story with someone who might stumble upon it.

As mentioned, The Gatherings is short. It’s definitely worth the read & can be devoured in one sitting. I am looking forward to reading more of Jeremy’s future work, because if he’s able to create a full apocalyptic tale in less than 100 pages, I can only imagine what he can accomplish in a full-length work.

The Gatherings An Apocalyptic Short Story

Reviews