Book vs Movie

 

THE CABIN AT THE END OF THE WORLD written by Paul Tremblay and KNOCK AT THE CABIN direct by M. Night Shyamalan tell the same story, but neither version lived up to what the premise promised.

The book sounded like it would be tense and emotionally brutal. Instead, I found it frustrating. There’s so much potential here, but very little is done with it. The constant ambiguity and lack of action drained the impact for me instead of deepening it.

The movie is only slightly better, but at least it tries to give the audience some footing. It still holds back, but it makes an effort to provide closure, which helped.

I didn’t love either version. The book disappointed me, and the film only improves on it a little. Both had the bones of something unforgettable, but too much is lost to hesitation and uncertainty. If you’re curious at all, the movie is the better experience.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Characters Go Crunch

If you love old-school creature features from the 1970s, SEA DEVIL by Scott Donnelly is going to be right up your alley. I’m already a huge fan of his work, and this book is a must-have.

The setup feels familiar in a good way, but the execution has its own teeth. There’s enough atmosphere and menace here to satisfy anyone who grew up on gritty, creature-on-the-loose films.

If you enjoy yelling at characters for crap decisions, check out this bunch. For me, it's a perfect blend of nostalgia and fresh storytelling, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

As always,

AstraDaemon

 

Craig DiLouie Controversy

EPISODE THIRTEEN by Craig DiLouie is the kind of psychological horror novel that slowly strangles your mind. I chose to read this because DiLouie is one of my all-time favorite authors, and I’ve enjoyed so much of what he’s done over the years.

This book feels like entering a dark tunnel that slowly begins to fill with water, with an undercurrent of science fiction pulling the reader deeper into a twisted terrorscape. At times it reminded me more of The Children of Red Peak than his other stories I’ve read.

I enjoyed the unsettling direction the story took, but I never really connected with the characters. I didn’t care if they lived or died, and that distance made the emotional payoff feel weaker to me than in some of DiLouie’s other books.

The ending is bleak and depressing, which fits the tone, but it left me feeling more worn out than satisfied.

This is a book more for die-hard DiLouie fans than casual readers. If you love his style and don’t mind a slow burn with a dark finish, you’ll probably enjoy it. For me, it wasn’t as memorable as some of his previous work, but it still has enough atmosphere and unpredictability to be worth a look.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Friday Fright: Psychotic

 

PETRIFIED WOMEN by Jeremy Ray caught me off-guard. I expected one kind of story and ended up somewhere I never would have predicted.

The story moves in a direction I didn’t anticipate, and that sense of unease builds naturally. You’re never quite on solid ground, even when you think you’ve caught on. That unpredictability is what makes it so thrilling.

The ending is dark and a little cruel, the kind that leaves you sitting there for a minute after it’s over. I loved it. If you enjoy short fiction that surprises you and isn’t afraid to go bleak, this one is absolutely worth your time.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Movie Review: WEAPONS

I don’t watch a lot of movies anymore. My free time usually goes to books, so when I sit down for a film, it’s because something really caught my attention. The trailer for Weapons did exactly that. It promised something dark, unsettling, and genuinely disturbing.

The movie itself didn’t live up to that promise.

Instead of feeling tense or frightening, a lot of it came across as unintentionally comedic. Scenes that should have been eerie landed flat, and moments that seemed designed to unsettle felt more awkward than scary. I kept waiting for the tone to shift into something truly menacing, but it never really got there.

The characters didn’t help. I wasn’t invested in any of them, and without that connection, the stakes never felt real. Horror works best when you care who survives. Here, I found myself detached, more aware of the setup than immersed in it.

The trailer is honestly the best part of this experience. It sells a movie that feels sharper, darker, and far more effective than what’s actually on screen.

If you’re going in expecting something genuinely frightening, you may be disappointed. This one never became the horror film it wanted to be.

As always,

AstraDaemon

September Shorts: Day 3

HANNAH-BEAST by Jennifer McMahon is absolutely horrifying on so many levels. Drunk parents, mean girls and murders. A tragic Halloween tale told in past and present. Add it to your October list.

As always,

AstraDaemon

September Shorts: Day 2

It was supposed to be a fun trip in which the author could meet some of his readers but when he travels to their country, he soon learns their reasons for coming to meet him aren't quite as how he had imagined it...

MEET: HE CAME, THEY ATE by Matt Shaw isn't his best work. The action doesn't even begin until the story is halfway over. The characters lack any kind of depth.

Here's the thing, my favorite Shaw stories include amazing storylines, creative violence and bizarre characters. This didn't have any of that.

If you're new to Shaw I recommend his stories that take place in or around water. He's really in his element then.

As always,

AstraDaemon