Steven Alexander, simple suburbanite, loving father and husband, is thrust into a world of violence and slavery beginning with one brutal night where, during a home invasion, his sons are murdered in front of him. He and his wife Rebecca are then kidnapped, drugged, and taken to an uncharted tropical island where they awake on a pristine beach in the company of five strangers.

The island is prison and it’s residents are both the guards and the participants in the Game, a modern-day rendition of the Coliseum of ancient Rome, where they must compete in acts of murder, rape, and self-mutilation for the amusement of an unseen wealthy elite. Contestants must survive five times to earn their freedom from the island horrors. Losers become the evening meal.

Steven struggles to survive in a world where violence is not only accepted but cheered. He fights to hold on to his wife, Rebecca, in a community where cannibalism is survival, brutality is affection, and living another day is at the expense of his own soul. Survival comes with a price, however, and he soon learns that not only are not all of the players in the Game unwilling participants, but those who have volunteered to play the Game have paid a horrible admission price.

Kendra via Amazon:

“Loved this book. It keeps you wondering from the first page until the end… and then it leaves you wanting to know what happens. I can’t wait for the second book to come out!! It really makes you think about what you would do in that same position and how you would survive the game… or if you would want to..”

Jo Vonbargen via Amazon:

“Wow. Wow. What a riveting tale! The premise of Flesh Worn Stone is absolutely chilling, even more so when you think of the underlying truism that the masses are basically sheep and so easily led. This story is a striking, terrifying depiction of the limitless horrors of which we are capable given certain shocking circumstances. Kudos to John Burks for guaranteeing me many sleepless nights of stricken self-examination and an eternity of what-ifs. This novel is much more than entertainment. It will redraw the site map of all that you believe and all that you think you know!”

Daniel P. Mcgrath via Amazon:

“A chilling, gruesome story that kept me up at night chapter after chapter. I’ve read most everything from King and IMHO this book ranks right in there with the best of his work.”