The Rise: Tales From The Gulp 3 by Alan Baxter
The Rise: Tales From The Gulp 3 is a collection of five horror novellas by Alan Baxter. It weighs in at 321 pages and was published February 13, 2026.
It’s no secret that I love Alan Baxter’s writing. Just scrolling to the end of this review will be proof enough, as you’ll see a variety of reviews I’ve done listed. I will say, though, that this Gulp series has been my favorite.
I remember reading the first book and hoping for more. Well, over the years Baxter did just that and created this three-book collection of terrifying, suspenseful, and thrilling novellas taking place in Gulpepper, an Australian town that gives me chills at the thought of actually stepping foot in the place. Each time a character ventures into its borders, I feel a sense of dread. Yet, if they didn’t succumb to the draw of this creepy place, we wouldn’t be able to experience heart-racing moments or the sinking feeling of trepidation we crave so much as horror lovers.
When I cracked open the cover of The Rise, I felt like I’d ventured back to a forbidden place. Each time I found a call back I recognized from the other two books in the series, I felt like I was actually there in The Gulp. Baxter’s Australian harbor town is so well developed it feels real. Even though the book has five novellas nestled inside, the linking of the place and the characters made it feel like a regular novel. Now that I’ve finished the series, I’d love to see a map of the town with markings of where certain characters and happenings took place. Yes. I want more! Luckily for me, and other Gulp fans, Baxter has commented in the Afterword that he has and will continue to incorporate the Gulp Mythos into other projects.
As I mentioned, I’ve been a fan of Baxter’s work for years. This past year, I did become a subscriber to Alan Baxter’s Patreon, which has a lot of interactive posts. Over the years, Baxter will give opportunities for name suggestions and things of that manner. I cannot begin to tell you how excited I was when I recognized a few names and another tidbit I’d suggested that were used in the book. I won’t share out the items, because I like to keep a spoiler-free atmosphere in my reviews, but if you read the book and explore his Patreon, you’ll find out! I love that he does that, and it added an even more immersive layer to the reading. I’m still giddy!
I’ve had a lot going on recently with my own writing and publishing, so I read the majority of this book on outings to really submerge myself into the story and the characters. I stayed out longer than intended this week when I finished reading it at a coffeehouse, but there was no way I wasn’t going to get through the last novella in the book. It had me by the throat!!! And what a spectacular ending to The Rise and the series as a whole. I wish I could read all three books again back-to-back for the first time. I can still see images of some of my favorite stories and characters from The Gulp and The Fall.
If you’ve not read any of this Gulp series, might I suggest grabbing all three and reading them one by one. I envy you if you do!
On my drive home from the coffeehouse where I eagerly read the final pages of The Rise, I cranked up some heavy metal music! It seemed appropriate, and I needed something to help me burn off the pent-up energy I was storing from sitting on the edge of my chair for those last pages. Each section of the book was great, but that last novella was electric. A crescendo of climactic chaos I won’t soon forget.
Also, I’d like to give a shout out to the beautiful covers created by Baxter’s wife. They lend a murky, spooky atmosphere to the books before you even crack them open.
If you didn’t notice, I highly recommend this book and the entire series! Go ahead. Take a trip to The Gulp. Check out its quirks and nuances, but mind you don’t get yourself lost. You’ve been warned.
Alan Baxter has put together a sample of his works, yours to read and enjoy free of charge. Enjoy! Then check out more of his works—I have many listed below.
Click to get your copy of Shadow Bites
Also, scroll down to read more of my reviews of Baxter’s work, learn more about him, and venture back to 2020 if you dare to listen to two podcasts involving the first book of his I ever read & an interview with him.
Need more Alan Baxter? Here are just a few of his available titles:
Read more of my Alan Baxter reviews:
A blast from the past: The Served Cold podcast & an interview with Alan Baxter from 2020 when I co-owned Unsettling Reads:
My first taste of Baxter’s work was Served Cold. I fell in love with the cover when I saw it on social media, snatched it up, and I haven’t looked back since. Though I have read it, it’s not currently on this website. It was the first book we read and reviewed on our then-running Unsettling Reads podcast. That episode is still available on Spotify. To listen, CLICK HERE.
We also interviewed Alan Baxter. I fear I sounded like a total fangirl, but you can also listen to that interview if you CLICK HERE.
Who is Alan Baxter?
Alan Baxter is a multi-award-winning British-Australian author of horror and weird fiction. This Is Horror podcast calls him “Australia’s master of literary darkness” and the Talking Scared podcast dubbed him “The Lord of Weird Australia.” He’s also a martial artist, whisky-soaked swear monkey, metalhead and dog lover. He writes his darkly strange tales deep in the valleys of southern Tasmania.
***Taken from Alan Baxter's website
