Author Matias Ylikangas’ debut offering, Hell Pulp is a hell-ish mix of bleak atmosphere and psychological musings, wrapped in plenty of bloody ultraviolence and body horror.


Welcome to Hell.

The story revolves around our “protagonist” (as far as you can get in Hell), Oscar, who claws out of his grave, finding himself in a desolate wasteland with no memory of how he got there. He stumbles into Nathaniel, Hell’s very own Indiana Jones, and away they go! Nathaniel rescues Oscar to be his compatriot as they traverse the hellish landscape, filled with all kinds of horror (Hell, duh!) to deliver an important bit of information to a “researcher” or sorts, which could lead to further understanding their infernal predicament.

Hell Pulp is less about the plot per se and more about exploring a unique take on the afterlife. Ylikangas’ version of Hell eschews the standard tropes of demon and flame, instead leaning into the eternal bleak wasteland of self-imposed torment. His interpretation of hell borrows influence from Dante’s Inferno, but morphs it into more of a post-apocalyptic wasteland. He further leans into the trope of Homo Homini Lupus (Man is Wolf to Man), where there is no terror beyond the violence we inflict on ourselves and each other. While his description of the Hellscape is novel, the shorter format of a standalone prevents him from expanding the world and “flesh”ing it out with more elements, instead narrowing its focus on a tighter narrative and a push-forward plot.

Our protagonists, Nathaniel and Oscar, fall into a sort of Joel and Ellie (from The Last of Us) relationship of father-figure-and-younger-protegee as they navigate various horrific set-pieces from the ambient terror of “eternal torment zombie” towns to the adrenaline-fueled ultraviolent grimdark body-horror of cannibal hunters. The latter is Hell Pulp’s “antagonist”, beyond Hell as a world being the villain.

For one steeped in piles of literary dead bodies, gratuitous violence, bloody set-pieces, and other trimmings of grimdark and dark fantasy action sequences, Hell Pulp didn’t scar me as much as I imagined when I picked up this book (which says more about how desensitized I have become).

Make no mistake, Hell Pulp is not for the faint of heart.

That said, the philosophical and psychological aspects that the author was trying to impress upon us during the “quieter” moments in Hell Pulp felt quite flat and superficial, the latter half of the book relying on stereotypical horror fantasy action. However, Ylikangas does a good job of evolving Oscar’s character from a clueless “newborn” as he goes through the treadmill of narrative torture. The decision not to dwell on the characters’ lives pre-Hell beyond adding some philosophy-fodder to Oscar’s musings was a smart choice. He also explores the inner darkness of Oscar’s character (which probably landed him in Hell) while making reasonably poignant commentary on our capacity for violence through the lens of “heroic” action. The adage of “the road to hell is paved with good intentions” is brought to the forefront on many occasions in Hell Pulp.

While Hell Pulp is crushingly grim, dark, and bleak in most sections, the author also infuses a very human sense of camaraderie, kindness, and even affection between Oscar, Nathaniel, and Daria. It is these moments that elevated Hell Pulp from being just another torture-porn novel, and the author must be praised for his balance of the two sides of humanity — heart and violence.

Hell Pulp is a fun spin on an afterlife adventure, as oxymoronic as that description may sound. While the novel falters in its superficial psychological and philosophical commentary, Hell Pulp excels in “humanizing” Hell in many ways, confidently pulling a mirror to show us the best and worst of what it means to be human in the face of ultimate and eternal adversity.

This book was an unexpectedly emotional ride. Following Oscar on his journey as he makes sense of his surroundings, and his own drives, I was swept up into the world and felt like I was right there with him. The book built up at a good pace and there were several parts and then a chunk from 70-90% of the way through the book where my eyes were glued to the pages.

At first I felt a little disappointed by the ending, but thinking about it for longer it seemed perfectly in keeping with the rest of the book. I need to read this again, so I don't think I can give it less than the five stars, as I loved it.

grave looters, cannibals, creepy creature in the dark oh my!

this one was a wild one, as soon as I read the synopsis I knew I had to get my hands on it. it sounded so similar to The Black Farm, which I read earlier this year & loved. pretty quickly we're thrown into the shenanigans. Literally the opening paragraph is him crawling out of his grave??? like c'mon, i loved it.

I really enjoyed the world building, this is not your typical version of hell that we often see described. it's almost apocalyptic (maybe, i don't know)?? everybody is sick or diseased, scavenging for resources, it was giving wasteland..I was vibing with world that we were thrown into.

I enjoyed the writing & the atmosphere. My favorite parts of the book unfortunately didn't come until the last 40% when we meet the "Mountain Folk". They brought the blood, the violence, & the chaos. They're honestly a little scary! I also loved the little details of the weapons & things being made from human bones, like the bone chandelier & skull chalices.

My only real issue, which is just me being nit picky, is i wish we had gotten more of the violence & chaos throughout the whole book not just in the second half & Oscar annoyed me for majority of the story so I struggled to connect or feel bad for him even though he was going through a lot.

Daria was my girl!! We needed more of her!!!

This was an absolute fun read. The world building and characters were awesome and I enjoyed the grounded approach taken.

4.5 ⭐️

The reason I applied for this book was because the description instantly captivated me. The black farm is one of my favourite ever books, and this really reminded me of it and I loved it! The whole concept of the afterlife and what awaits us, makes this book feel even more scary. Oscar rises from the dead, only to find out he’s in hell.

The main character went through so many challenges. He did annoy me a little at times but I think if I was in his situation, I’d react the same way as he did at times!

I loved Nathaniel. He was definitely my favourite.

I do wish we got a bit more history on the characters. Different character perspectives would have been cool too. But this was the authors debut novel and I must say, it was fantastic and I highly recommend this one!!

Thank you for allowing me to arc read.

Hell Pulp by Matias Ylikangas

3.5/5 stars

"The afterlife--this realm-- is just a natural part of existence. But all the horrors out here, the stuff of Hell, that's on us."

What a crazy ride! Hell Pulp follows Oscar, a recently deceased man who rises from his grave only to be met with the horrors of Hell. He meets Nathaniel, who takes Oscar on a fascinating and terrifying mission. His goal is to meet Dean Theodore, to relay a secret that could change their world forever.

My favorite part of this book by far was the world building. This version of Hell isn't fire and brimstones--it's something entirely more sinister. As I read, I found myself wondering about the origins of this alternate reality, and I think that more stories from this world would be incredibly interesting to read about.

The characters of this book were well written, but I feel like we didn't get to spend enough time with some of them to truly understand their motives. Part of that is because being thrown in this world is incredibly disorienting, so the main character is just as confused as we are at the beginning. It takes time for Oscar to come to terms with his fate, so we don't really get to learn about him in detail until a good chunk of the way through. This also just backs up the idea that more stories in this world and with these characters would be exciting!

My only complaint is that the information about the world and the characters' mission was a little info-dumpy at times, but overall this book was very well written and fast-paced.

This is the perfect book for fans of horror and adventure novels (with a good amount of gore thrown in!). I would highly recommend it for fans of action-leaning horror, like the 28 Days Later series. I can't wait to see what Matias Ylikangas writes next!

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op for providing me with an ARC of this novel. This review is completely honest and voluntary.

Hell Pulp by Matias Ylikangas

4⭐⭐⭐⭐

Dear reader, I pose this question to you: Can you kill someone that’s already dead?

Matias Ylikangas is an author who orchestrates an evocative tale, reminiscent of Amy Lee’s most haunting voice transcribed onto paper. Our protagonist, Oscar, wakes up devoid of memory. His soiled clothes carry the burden of a life unremembered.

Where am I? No time to think. My hands bound by rope, I followed the grim procession. We were being sold? At least I believe that to be true. Our abductors, simply known as Grave Looters, paraded us into a vast world of bartering. What is known is that this predicament simply can’t end well.

Through a sheer miracle, the line of captives has broken. Nathaniel, our savior, has momentarily incapacitated the thugs, and Oscar and I make our escape under the tutelage of Nathaniel.

As we wandered through a town of misery and disease, it became abundantly clear we were just trying to survive. Nathaniel had said as much; we needed him to navigate the complexities of this place, wherever that was. We agreed to help Nathaniel find a man named Dean Theodore in exchange for protection.

Oscar’s memories slowly reappear through small flashes of intel involving a life full of pain, living with a passive-aggressive mother, and endless regrets. As conversations commenced our worst fears were confirmed; Nathaniel reiterated that we were indeed deceased. How had we perished? "This feels like Hell," I lamented. However, this place was not teeming with demons and fiery pits. The story presents a new realm of consciousness, or rather, an eerie alternative plane of existence.

The reading material picked at me, like a week-old scab, tormenting me with its hideous nature. I kept thinking of my Mad Max or Bone Tomahawk cinematic experiences. Ylikangas successfully breathes life into a story about the undead, resuscitating those in need, and then subsequently extinguishes our hopes by imposing a reality of an endless nightmare.

Imagine a world where cannibal tribes collide. The visceral feeling of being ushered through the front door of a shack decorated with human skin masquerading as wallpaper hit its mark. Put simply, it isn’t pretty! The shading between light and dark, good and evil, made my time in this existence wondrous in its shocking approach. The very nature of the world questions the religious beliefs of the standard heaven and hell concept. While often pushing the boundaries, I never felt Ylikangas took the gore too far, just for the sake of eye candy. The novel took its time, allowing it to breathe like a fine wine, allowing me room for my interpretations.

Escaping the valley unharmed became paramount in our quest. With an Indiana Jones-like vibe, we sprinted through tunnels. Underneath the crypts, followed closely by the flesh-eaters, we looked ahead toward a light marking freedom. Unfortunately, we had no insights to what Dean Theodore might provide us regarding Nathaniel’s discovery, and that, my friends, is where our assumptions get turned upside down.

Many thanks to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC through NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion.

This book puts a whole new meaning to grave robbers.

Hell Pulp throws you into a brutal, surreal world where death is only the beginning. The main character wakes up in a grave with no memory of who he was or how he died. What follows is a dark journey through a decaying landscape filled with sickness, scavengers, and a creeping sense of something much bigger at play.

The atmosphere is one of the book’s greatest strengths. Every setting is vivid, disgusting, and unforgettable. The author’s worldbuilding pulls no punches, painting a vision of the afterlife that feels raw, chaotic, and entirely original.

The story blends horror, sci-fi, and post-apocalyptic grit while slowly building a mystery about what it really means to be dead. There is action, tension, and the constant feeling that nothing is safe or sacred here.

While the ending left me wanting a little more clarity, the ride there was wild, imaginative, and deeply unsettling.

If you’re looking for something dark, bizarre, and unlike anything you have read before, Hell Pulp delivers.