Jam

A mysterious carnivorous jam appears overnight in Brisbane, Australia, consuming organic matter and forcing survivors to navigate a city submerged in three feet of deadly preserves. The narrative follows Travis, an ordinary citizen who must adapt to this bizarre apocalypse alongside a small group of fellow survivors. The survivors band together to search for safety, supplies, and answers while avoiding both the predatory jam and other emerging threats. Their journey takes them through Brisbane's transformed landscape as they seek refuge in the Hibatsu Building and encounter military personnel with mysterious motives. Jam combines elements of survival horror with absurdist humor, presenting a fresh take on the post-apocalyptic genre. The story explores themes of human adaptation and group dynamics when faced with an entirely unexpected form of catastrophe.

Readers describe Jam as a quirky apocalyptic satire that doesn't reach the heights of Croshaw's previous novel, Mogworld. Readers appreciated: - The absurdist premise and dark humor - Fast-paced opening chapters - Commentary on office culture and millennial apathy - Supporting characters Travis and Tim Common criticisms: - Plot loses momentum in second half - Main character feels flat and passive - Too similar to other apocalyptic stories - Humor becomes repetitive Several readers noted the audiobook narration by Croshaw improves the experience compared to reading the text version. Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (6,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (380+ ratings) Audible: 4.3/5 (1,900+ ratings) "The premise carries the first third, but then it starts to drag" - Goodreads reviewer "Like Mogworld's funnier cousin who didn't quite live up to the family name" - Amazon reviewer

World War Z by Max Brooks A collection of survivor accounts chronicles a global disaster through multiple perspectives, sharing the same documentary-style approach to apocalyptic events as Jam.

John Dies at the End by David Wong This tale of two friends dealing with an invasion of reality-bending creatures matches Jam's combination of cosmic horror and dark humor.

The Stand by Stephen King A pandemic transforms society and forces survivors to navigate a changed world, presenting the same blend of character-focused apocalyptic fiction as Jam.

Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton A domesticated crow observes the end of human civilization, delivering an unconventional perspective on the apocalypse similar to Jam's absurdist take on disaster.

The Hike by Drew Magary A man's routine journey becomes a surreal adventure through a transformed world, mirroring Jam's mix of everyday characters facing bizarre circumstances.

🔸 Yahtzee Croshaw originally gained fame through his fast-paced video game review series "Zero Punctuation," which launched in 2007 and continues to attract millions of viewers. 🔸 The book's unusual premise was partly inspired by Croshaw's experience with Brisbane flooding in 2011, which transformed familiar city landscapes into surreal environments. 🔸 "Jam" is one of five novels written by Croshaw, alongside "Mogworld," "Will Save the Galaxy for Food," "Differently Morphous," and "Will Destroy the Galaxy for Cash." 🔸 The vivid red color of the jam in the story serves as a striking visual contrast to the typical gray and brown palette often associated with post-apocalyptic fiction. 🔸 The novel cleverly subverts traditional apocalypse tropes by making its threat both absurd and terrifying - the jam moves at walking pace, yet remains inescapable for those who don't take it seriously.