Green River Rising by Tim Willocks

Green River Rising (1994) by Tim Willocks

What if the warden of a huge Texas penitentiary were to go insane and not only incite a riot, but keep its existence hidden from governing authorities in an attempt to allow it to escalate and run its course in order to cleanse itself? 

And what if an unjustly convicted man, who is set to be released the next day after the riot begins, suddenly finds himself trapped inside? 

And what if that innocent man’s love interest is in the prison’s infirmary and no one knows she’s there as the worst criminal elements in that prison population do everything possible to break into that infirmary to kill its dying patients and have their way with her? 

Green River Rising is a genuine epic in every sense of the word. Despite a single setting and a palpable sense of claustrophobia, the intertwining stories of the inmates and how they each factor into the plot as it spins fatalistically toward its conclusion is a white-knuckle ride like no other. This is unbelievably raw and powerful stuff, suffused with brutal violence and a profane world-weariness that adds a real sense of grounded realism to the events, even as it slowly embraces a larger than life and increasingly surreal nightmare quality. 

The book occasionally takes a pause to better inform a character’s background or to expound a philosophical point, but it never comes to a stop; it is always hurtling toward its nihilistic conclusion and consuming the human carnage at every turn. It also happens to be beautifully written with descriptions that will have you re-reading entire paragraphs. 

But be forewarned, this book is the very definition of politically incorrect with regards to race, sex, identity, and gender roles. If you have a constitution strong enough to handle it, Green River Rising gets my highest recommendation. It is an unrelenting descent into literary madness that rewards those stern enough to tackle its pages.

Review by Steve Carroll