Survivor
J. F. Gonzalez
Leisure Books
ISBN: 978-0843955675
2006

Survivor is a disturbing thriller that revolves around a woman named Lisa; she is a lawyer, she has a loving husband, and she is successful.  When she is kidnapped by sadists to be filmed in a snuff film, her life and the lives of those close to her, spiral into chaos. Moral choices must be made by Lisa, Lisa’s husband, and by the sadists themselves: moral choices in which both “yes” and “no” will lead to someone’s death. 

The most laudable quality of Survivor is the explicit research on snuff films.   J.F. Gonzalez has done his homework.  Gonzalez inserts information concerning the dark, underground side of the pornography industry in a way that does not interrupt the tension of the story.  Not only is the method flawless, but the information is absolutely disturbing and therefore absolutely fascinating.  

The characters of Survivor are well developed and natural.  They fit the story and match the seriousness of the heavy topic.  The handling of the characters in this manner adds to the realistic nature of the literary approach.

Survivor was an uncomfortable read. The novel’s grim view of humanity will stay with you long after the book is read. I guarantee it.  And this is a good thing.  It is proof that the novel is more than a tense thriller with some superficial gore.  With Survivor, Gonzalez gives a powerful commentary on the human condition, and he is relentless in doing so.  

 -- Gavin F. Hurley