It's Not a Cult

'Fierce, freewheeling modern folk horror that thrums with originality' Financial Times

De: Joey Batey

Narrado por: Joey Batey

Bloomsbury presents It's Not a Cult, written and read by Joey Batey.

'I loved it straight away ... characters so vivid you feel like they might be living in your wardrobe right now' NATASHA PULLEY, author of THE WATCHMAKER OF FILIGREE STREET

'Gloriously over-the-top and under-the-skin [with] shades of early Angela Carter' OSKAR JENSEN, author of HELLE AND DEATH

Callum, Melusine and Al play in a band with no name, baffling audiences in terrible pubs across the northeast of England with their ‘sound’. Their songs tell the stories of the Solkats: fictional northern gods of small things, of mishap and mayhem. Absolutely no one knows what they’re on about. But they believe in their music, and in each other. And they’re happy.

That is, until an act of violence at a pub gig goes viral, they catch the eye of a disillusioned influencer and suddenly go from having a cult following to having a cult, following.

All the Solkats want, Callum insists, is to have effect on the world. But as fans from LA to Australia flock to Northumberland, and each gig becomes larger and more lawless than the last, this effect starts to feel scarily… real. Which poses the question: if the Solkats really do exist, which is it more dangerous to anger: a wayward group of elder gods, or your biggest fans?

Because gods and cults both demand sacrifices. And one way or another they’re going to get one…©2025 Joey Batey (P)2025 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Reseñas de la Crítica

Fierce, freewheeling piece of modern folk horror that thrums with originality (James Lovegrove)

An incredibly fun read … Joey Batey has pulled another arrow out of his creative quiver and hit a bullseye

Vigorous, lurid, page-turning

Batey writes confidently, leaning into the mordant comedy, while also committing fully to the book's disturbing premise

Fabulously mad … I loved it straightaway … So convincing that I’m a little bit worried that somehow I too will end up living in a disused water park with purple hair and weird chalk symbols on the door. Usually, I’d say, oh, if people like this book or this book then they’ll love this, but actually, I can’t here: It's Not A Cult genuinely isn’t like anything else. But if you love characters so vivid you feel like they might be lurking in your wardrobe right now, wicked-clever jokes, and a brilliantly cynical take on the music industry (and death cults): this is fully for you (Natasha Pulley, bestselling author of THE WATCHMAKER OF FILIGREE STREET)

Gloriously over-the-top and under-the-skin. In his enthusiasm for an ornate turn of phrase and Gothic levels of grubbiness, Batey evokes shades of early Angela Carter and Nicola Barker (Oskar Cox Jensen)

Batey writes with fierce intelligence, delivering a terrifying and piercing exploration of fandom, fame and authenticity. It’s Not a Cult is a rich and provocative read that invites the reader into the world of Al, Melusine and Callum and the strange Solkats of which they sing

Loved it!

This book is unique in that its story is quirky enough to keep you entertained, and also poignant enough to have you sitting with your own thoughts after some particular moments. Being seen is so utterly important to me personally that I was moved by a certain conversation the characters have. In the subject of characters, they feel so realistic because of their flaws and grey moral compasses. I could definitely tell that Batey took the time to meet each of them before putting them on paper. The writing is beautiful and it flows in an almost poetic way that is thankfully still easy to follow. I laughed, I cried, I got chills, I gasped, and most importantly: it inspired me to continue writing my own stuff! Batey's narration enhanced the experience for me. He knows his characters so well that most times I almost forgot I was listening to him speaking. The nuances and accents, 10/10! Can't wait to read (and listen to) more of his work!

A strange and wonderful treat

If you know Joey Batey from his music (The Amazing Devil) this book only becomes more enjoyable. He sings the snippets of song throughout the book making you wish the band was real and that you could go and listen to the songs.
The story itself is engaging and poetic. I couldn't put it down!

Truly mesmerizing

I'm glad I went for the audiobook, hearing Joey Batey's voice singing the lyrics was an experience I didn't know I'd have the pleasure to have.
The story captivated me, it rings true in many aspects and his narration was simply perfect. I fell in love with every character and found myself immersed in their world, really sad it ended but glad to listen to it again.
Give it a chance if you can, it's really good.