Regretting A Purchase

THE SALESMAN by Mason McDonald focuses more on a man who has wronged his wife than The Salesman, who is some kind of supernatural creature.

Readers never find out anything about the mysterious entity. How Tom even knows about The Salesman is never revealed. The author had an opportunity to create a new mythos, but instead continued with an overused tragedy.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Spiders AND Zombies

SPIDERS IN FROM THE GARDEN by Jason R. Davis is a creepy flash fiction piece centered on an elderly gent, George, who is having a real bad day in his garden. Somehow he manages to get back inside his house, and that's when his wife, Betsy, has a real bad day too.

Davis really gets under your skin with this one.

As always,
AstraDaemon

This Made Me Cry

BEACHES by James Loscombe is one of the most emotional end-of-the-world stories I've ever read. Essentially, a young man travels for six months to find out what happened to his family, after a virus wipes out most of the world's population. (No zombies, no warfare, just a swift death.) The only ones left are the ones fortunate enough to have a natural immunity.

He's been haunted by nightmares because he didn't search for his family sooner. Instead, he helped build a community of survivors. Finally admitting to himself, his need for closure, he sets out for his parents' home. He thinks he knows what he's going to find, but he couldn't be more wrong.

Very well-written drama.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Kill Or Be Killed ...Or Be Eaten

DEAD MEAT by Patrick Williams and Chris Williams is not about friendship or working together, but instead focuses on the combination of hate & fear that arises when random strangers form a loose-knit group, and they are unable to agree on much of anything. Conflict dominates their decision-making, rather than the motivation to live. They way they see it, they're all going to die, but it's a battle to see who dies last. Not only does it explore the various shades of gray when it comes to the kill or be killed theme, but it's a gripping account of endurance with incredibly raw characters.

I like the way various groups are labeled; the zombies are called "bees" because of the way they swarm around the survivors. The soldiers are called the "Exterminators" as they quickly become more of a threat than the undead, using live bait to draw in the bees. These labels used by the characters create the illusion of compassion among the group, when in reality, the survivors often give in to their own savage impulses, striking out at their traveling companions at the worst of times, leaving readers to wonder which group is doing the most damage.

This novel is a visceral account of a hopeless attempt to reclaim something worth living for, with the narrator coming to a brutal realization about his first impressions. The ending will gnaw at your insides long after you finish the story.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Supernatural Mystery-Thriller

BOTTLE TOSS by Howard Odentz is a very strange tale about a 17 year old boy who lives with a foster family. Denny notices sinister events unfolding around his town, after his sister's boyfriend tosses a bottle at a passing car.

I honestly thought I was reading a story about a group of pedophile werewolves who worship a goat-demon, for the longest time. Poor Denny is surrounded by so much weird activity, as well as several dysfunctional characters, I couldn't imagine what else would explain all the missing and dead people.

Odentz doesn't reveal anything, until Denny finally confesses the secret he has been keeping, at the very end. While I love this novel, I'm not particularly happy with the way some characters are dealt with. Some didn't deserve their fates, and others should have been made to suffer even more.

I also recommend WHAT WE KILL by Howard Odentz.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Sunday With Scribner: Trifecta

3 POWERS by Joshua Scribner is a collection of three flash fiction pieces: Scent, Licked, and Onto the Next. The first caught me completely off-guard, and the second story is something of a surprise as well. The third story is the most horrifying.

While this is some of Scribner's older work, the writing style is exactly what I've enjoyed most about the author's storytelling.

As always,
AstraDaemon

First INTERVIEW of 2020!!

Karen A Foster is a short story author from the UK. I stumbled upon her work in 2017, and I've been a fan for the last three years. HELLD is the thrilling crime-drama which first put Foster on my reading radar. I continued enjoying her ability to use drama and suspense to create some seriously shocking fiction. When I read her anthology, TWISTED, with everything from family issues and spiders to astral projection and murder, Foster became one of my favorite storytellers.

NOT MY BROTHER'S KEEPER (Foster's best work!) proves she is more than just a writer dabbling in horror. Unfortunately, Foster hadn't released anything new in so long, after releasing her first novella, I feared she had given up creating new stories.

Imagine my delight when the author published THE MAN IN THE GARDEN at the very end of 2019. A family moves to a new area, only to have a neighborhood child turn up dead. When another child goes missing, and more murders occur, the family finds itself on a downward spiral into hell.

While it's not nearly as good as NOT MY BROTHER'S KEEPER, and the setup is rather long, the second half is fairly sinister.

In any case, I thought it was time to bring Foster into the Lair...

---

How did you get into writing? Did you deliberately set out to create horror stories, or does your work just naturally fall into that genre?

KF: When I was at school, possibly Year 8 or 9, my English Teacher believed I had a talent for writing. She asked me to go away and write her a long story and, in return, promised not to give me any homework. I began to write the story, but, because I was young and wanted to go out and play with my friends, I never did get the story finished. Years later, I thought about what my teacher had said and how she had put her faith in me. She was the inspiration for my first story, ‘Insignificant’. I guess I wanted to prove to myself that I could actually complete a piece of work that, hopefully, others would enjoy reading it.

My work does naturally fall into the horror category. I guess it is because that is the genre which holds my attention. I like stories that take you on a journey into the darker side of life. I don’t think the world is altogether a pleasant place and I think my work reveals this. I made a half hearted attempt at writing a frothy girlie book, but, I have to admit, it bored me silly.

Why do you your plots tend to have a crime-drama theme? Do you get your inspiration from news headlines?

KF: As I mentioned earlier, the world isn’t altogether a pleasant place. There is so much crazy stuff going on behind closed doors and we only get to learn about a fraction of it. The media highlights certain cases, but this is only a very small percentage in relation to the amount of bad stuff that is really happening all around us. When I do read about these atrocities, they fill me with horror. They do, I suppose, inspire me to write about things I find distasteful. My story ‘HELLD’ was most certainly inspired by true events.

Do you have more success with readers in the UK or the US, or do your stories go over well on both sides of the pond?

KF: I would say I have roughly the same amount of success with readers from both the UK and the US. However, most of my reviews come from readers in the UK. Reviews are always gratefully received as these get my work noticed. God knows, I am trying to get noticed.

Do you prefer to write with realism or supernatural elements?

KF: I prefer to write with realism rather than supernatural. However, some of my short stories have elements of the supernatural in them. To be honest, I think some of the terrible things that people are capable of are, to the majority of us, hard to believe. Therefore, they are supernatural.

Which one of your stories was the most difficult to write and why? Which one flowed the easiest?

KF: The story I found most difficult to write was probably ‘Not my Brother’s Keeper’. This is because I wrote it with a deep southern dialect and, as you know, I am British. I do prefer writing for an American audience though and most of my stories are set in the States. ‘Insignificant’ was probably the story which flowed the easiest. This is because I had the story in my head for a very long time. Once I began writing, it just flowed very quickly onto paper.

What can readers expect from you this year? Are you working on anymore projects?

KF: I am currently working on a compilation of short, twisted stories. I also have a couple of longer stories on the go, which I keep going back to. Maybe one day, I can dedicate myself to becoming a fulltime author and flood the book industry with my dark tales.

Thank you for stopping by!

---

If you haven't already, check out Foster's short stories on Amazon Kindle.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Sci-Fi Short

A LAYER HIDDEN by Candace Robinson is a short story centered on a family traveling to a new planet because Earth is overcrowded. Along the way, another species begins taking over the ship.

Too much time is spent describing the husband trying to get it on with his wife, instead of focusing on the daughter's disturbing dream or simply moving along with the unfolding conflict.

Little to nothing is ever revealed about the invading species, and the action is very limited. The author had a good idea, but Bree (the mother) is a poor choice for the POV.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Spectacular Sci-Fi Anthology

THE OCEAN OF SKY by John A Connor is a collection of twenty-three short stories and flash fiction pieces mixing sci-fi, horror and suspense...

THE OCEAN OF SKY: dark tale about the fate of the Lost Cause

IN TWO MINDS: unpredictable results of experiment

HONEST TO GOD: interplanetary missionary

A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE: unusual meteorite

TIME ON THEIR HANDS: adrift in space

A LIFE LESS COLOURFUL: relationship vs. duty

TO AND FRO: time travel

CAPTIVE AUDIENCE: cultural clash with alien species*

THE LAST MARTIAN: terraforming gone wrong

MIND GAMES: out of body experience

RIGHT AND WRONG: reconstructing flesh

BAD TIMING: time travel ripple*

NUISANCE CALL: spam in space*

THE TRUTH AND NOTHING LIKE THE TRUTH: alien author

NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE: Death makes an unusual friend*

SKIN DEEP: future cosmetic surgery

TWO-WAY TRAFFIC: this one confused me too much to enjoy

EVERLASTING LIFE: a lemming strategy

WELL, DO YOU?: the God debate

NET RESULT: worse than your phone listening to your conversations

THEORETICALLY SPEAKING: science vs. magic

THE DAY MAY COME: fantastic ending!!*

POINT OF ENTRY: time travel as a means of revenge

The ones marked with an asterisk are my favorites, mainly because of they have a touch of dark humor, but all of the stories are very entertaining. Connor has always provided a wide variety within his anthologies, which is why he remains one of my favorite science fiction authors.

I highly recommend this collection, especially if you are a fan of Ray Bradbury.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Last One Standing

NIGHT OF THE SASQUATCH by Eric S. Brown has a slightly bigger setting than most of his Bigfoot battles, including a city fortress, an abandoned armory, and, of course, the woods. The author includes more variety among his characters. Between the two elements, Brown is able to create more suspense than usual, and keeps readers guessing.

As for my thoughts: Marcus is a walking turd, Chris really does give hope, Joe has more brawn than brains, and Karen is the one I respect from beginning to end. The soldiers didn't impress me much at all. Overall, one of my favorite Brown stories.

I'm still pushing for the author to include more supernatural opponents in future stories.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Ronald Jeremy

DOWN IN THE GUTTER LIKE ME by Stephen A North is nothing like his previous work. Apparently, the author has decide to try his hand in erotica. The sex scenes aren't to over-the-top, but the lack of story is disappointing.

In fact, this reads more like fan-fic written by a guy with a threesome fantasy than anything else. Maybe if the main character had been a serial killer or something, anything to give depth to this novella, there would've been more suspense.

If this is the direction North is headed with his writing, he should consider using a pen name or risk alienating some of his fan base.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Apocalyptic Friends With Benefits

AN APOCALYPSE OF OUR OWN by Jeff Strand is the story of two friends stuck in a bomb shelter together for months. Eventually they become friends with benefits, but that is a minor detail. Missy and Kevin are awesome characters, and I think this story would work as a horror-comedy movie.

I'm not certain the author meant to be funny, but I laughed out loud more than once. Despite the dark humor, this novella still has its terrifying moments. The setting is absolutely claustrophobic, and the tiny bunker alone is a frightening concept.

The apocalypse isn't explained until the very end, but the reason is very satisfying and a tad bit ironic. This is definitely one of my favorite Strand stories!

As always,
AstraDaemon

Sunday With Scribner: Dragons

FALLING FROM THE SKY by Joshua Scribner is a 2020 release, and much longer than his flash fiction and short stories. This novella centers on a father and son trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world overwhelmed by what they call dragons.

I've read over 100 Scribner stories, and I still couldn't predict the direction the author would take with this story. I love the inclusion of survivors with special needs. I expected a horror story, but Scribner delivered a science fiction story filled with suspense.

I'm in tears over this one...a must-read for 2020.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Get Your Fix, Or Be Fixed

HAPPINESS IS A COMMODITY by The Behrg is presented as an ongoing blog by a man living in a dystopian society, where Happiness is something which must be "punched" into one's arm, and the high is fleeting. Without a dose of Happiness every now and then, apathy takes over. For example, many pets die because owners don't care enough to keep their companions alive.

The narrator is very long-winded, and it's bad enough to nearly put me off the story, but the author provides just enough tidbits about a conspiracy to keep me hooked. While some might describe this novella as psychological horror, I could have a freaking field day with the sociological aspects of Jerry's experiences. The parallels to real-life are just too damn accurate for my comfort.

As if Jerry's end revelation isn't jarring enough, the author's note really laid me out. Especially with mental health being such a huge growing concern, no longer being a subject discussed in hushed tones behind closed doors.

As per the author's request (at the end of the note):
*EVERY MOMENT WITH MY SON
*EVERY WAG OF MY DOG'S TAIL

As always,
AstraDaemon

Shattered God Mythos

BADWATER by Travis Liebert begins as a letter written by Joseph Albright, a search and rescue diver, who feels the need to leave a warning due to a body recovery mission gone wrong.

I don't know what in the hell I was thinking, choosing this story, considering how many nightmares I have had about dark water, and now I am thoroughly traumatized. What Joseph finds in the water is absolutely horrifying.

This is the second story I've read by Liebert, and I enjoy his terrifying tales. I recommend this author to all horror fans.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Vampires Have Feelings Too

THE VAMPIRE SOLUMNATU by Nicholas Leonard is a flash fiction piece about a vampire who has been chained to prevent him from attacking people in the village. Every now and then, two farmhands are tasked with bringing an animal to keep the vampire satiated. All is well, until one of them gets too close...

I would classify this more as YA fiction, and, while the descriptions are well-written, there is little to no action or suspense. The ending is clever, but I have a feeling many won't appreciate the creativity.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Deadly Virus

MOSQUITO by Bishop Weaver is a short story about a couple struggling to stay bite-free, while another mosquito-borne virus is spreading. The wife is pregnant and they have a sick toddler covered in bites, adding to their personal horror.

Jay discovers how the bugs are getting into his house, but the respite is brief, and things become an absolute nightmare for the couple. Jay soon realizes the government wasn't completely honest about the virus.

This is a great thriller for such a quick story. I don't recommend it to anyone with a bug phobia.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Remote Viewing

THE PORTRAIT by L.V. Pires is far better than I expected. I love the use of remote viewing! The suspense kept me hooked as well, but the ending is a disappointment.

Readers never learn exactly what in the hell is going on with Cypress, what her motivation is, and, most importantly, what is her connection to the life-size sketch? Too many key details left unexplained.

As always,
AstraDaemon

MUSIC MONDAY: Jonathan Davis

BLACK LABYRINTH by Jonathan Davis is going to be my go-to reading music for 2020.

I've loved Korn for years, but when I heard Jonathan Davis do his thing on the Queen of the Damned soundtrack, I wanted him to do a solo album so very badly.

Now that he has, I hope he continues on this path. I can't get enough of his sound. I swear I play this album every day. My favorite tracks are THE SECRET, BASIC NEEDS, MEDICATE, and PLEASE TELL ME.

The blend of industrial metal with a Middle Eastern influence, the Jonathan Davis vocals and the personal lyrics...this is the direction Korn should've taken, instead of the trap crap. (See You On The Other Side was the last Korn album I enjoyed, until The Paradigm Shift, but I've pretty much given up on the band.)

I wish my local radio stations would play this album. I don't understand why Davis hasn't received more love on the airwaves. I didn't even realize he had released this album, until December 2019, when someone on YouTube told me about it. Thank gawd for the internet.

You don't need to be a Korn fan to enjoy BLACK LABYRINTH...

As always,
AstraDaemon

Sunday With Scribner: Killer Crap

INTESTINAL FORTITUDE by Joshua Scribner is centered on someone who has spent his life being attacked, blacking out, and waking up to his assailants being killed, over and over. At the onset of each attack, he suffers severe abdominal pain, and when he wakes up, he finds he has crapped his pants.

As an adult, one of his attacks is finally caught on a security camera, and he discovers what has been happening after he blacks out. Scribner delivers one hell of an ending. I highly recommend this one.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Supernatural Sex

THE DEMON GUARDIAN by Neil Davies begins with a man hearing voices and seeing shadows. Just when he thinks the situation can't get any worse, his wife, Swan, disappears. Around the same time, a couple of friends find a strange stone in the woods behind the haunted house. After contacting an expert, digging begins on the mysterious site. Eventually the separate storylines merge, and everyone soon learns the area is tied into a Norse myth, in more ways than one.

There's not much character development, aside from a little personal history here and there, mixed in among the interactions between the three groups of people. Most of the story comes across as supernatural erotica, rather than horror. For example, Swan's backseat tryst is described, but not her abduction. The author focuses on the lust rather than the destruction, which makes the suspense more trashy than terrifying.

I don't have a problem with sex in horror stories, but I would have preferred emphasis on the demon guardian, instead of the town orgy. I recommend Davies' Vampire Worms instead of this novella.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Jack the Ripper Falls In Love

SWORD AND SNAKES by Mark Lumby is nothing like his previous stories. I'm not impressed with the author's take on Jack the Ripper. Much of the story is a series of long-winded conversations, separated by drawn-out thought-monologues, with very little action. This novella lacks the creativity and suspense I've come to expect from Lumby.

If you want to know what the author is really capable of, I recommend THE DEBT or RATS IN THE LOFT.

As always,
AstraDaemon

A Cold Day In Hell

THE FARM by Christopher Motz centers on an old man remembering some horrific childhood events which changed him forever...his last night on the farm is the only secret he ever kept from his late wife. Knowing he lived a long life doesn't offer much comfort as he reveals his terrifying memories through the voice of his much younger self.

This is a coming of age story about a boy who loses his innocence fighting demons, while trying to keep his family together. When a huge snowstorm isolates the family farm from the rest of the community, all hell breaks loose, literally and figuratively. After Emery discovers the secret his alcoholic father has been keeping, he realizes too late how much he has left to lose.

For full effect, read this during a snowstorm at night...

As always,
AstraDaemon

Ouija Revenge

STRAWS by James Baaack and Eric S. Brown is a revenge story, but not as predictable as one might think. The setup is a little on the long side, and there isn't much to the characters, but the ending is great. I do wish more time had been spent on Kathie and Billy's interactions, and I would have liked the two goth girls to have more scenes as well, but the death scenes are creative.

If you're expecting anything like Brown's Bigfoot stories, you'll be disappointed, as the style is more of Baaack's. This is kind of like an 80s horror movie condensed into a short story.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Written In Blood

THE PEN NAME by David Jacob Knight is traditional horror without the excessive gore, a collaboration of two gifted authors who both have the ability to work well with different sub-genres of horror, and appeal to a variety of readers. This novel provides some realistic dark fiction, inducing paranoia among the literary community with this frightening tale of a publishing company which steals souls.

The aspect which really makes THE PEN NAME an entertaining read for me is the detail put into the characters' personalities. I felt very emotionally invested in the fate of Ben Little and his family, after his rash decision made in a desperate attempt to provide financially for his family. I often found myself yelling at Ben...whenever I get so disgusted with a character's decisions and actions, it's usually a good sign I'm lost deep in the plot.

The ending is particularly creative, as well as unexpected. This is a nice break from the usual horror fiction I read.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Crime Drama

ALFIE & THE DEAD GIRLS by Jamie Stewart is a great crime drama about a schoolgirl being stalked, after a dead girl has recently been found, and her father confronting the monster. The storyline moves back and forth between the attack on Emma and her father's court appearance. Well-written, with terrifying suspense.

However, the ending is very abrupt, and I feel nothing is resolved for the family or the community. Maybe the author thinks the uncertainty is more realistic, but I don't like elements (such as Katelyn and Alfie), introduced as significant details, only to be discarded so flippantly at the end.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Sunday With Scribner: Supernatural Sci-Fi

BLOOD AND TIME by Joshua Scribner is a flash fiction piece with supernatural element. The story is told through a very brief conversation, but held my interest. The explanation for the visit from the young woman adds a touch of sci-fi.

Not the best story Scribner ever wrote, but still worth reading.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Can't Be An Ings Story...

DON'T PICK UP THE PHONE by Daniel J Ings is nothing like the author's previous stories, EASY.GONE and THE THINNING, or even PINK HANDCUFFS AND HYPNAGOGIC IMPS. Not only is the storytelling disjointed and haphazard, there are so many typos, I don't think Ings bothered to proofread the story.

The concept is great: someone using technology for demonic rituals, but the delivery is a mess. The characters are not developed at all, no backstories...nothing to provide any depth. Little to no details about the deaths, etc....very disappointing.

Ings is an author who made my Top 2019 list for my review blog, and now I don't know what to think. If I didn't know any better, I would swear this was written by a completely different person.

Skip this one, and go read Ings other stories.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Ever Changing Loyalty

RADIATE by C.A. Higgins is the final book in the sci-fi trilogy, and begins by jumping back in time to the moment Mattie rescued Ivan from Ananke, with help from the ship herself. The backward and forward time shifts continue throughout the novel, which is extremely annoying, considering how the three installments already overlap one another (especially SUPERNOVA and RADIATE).

Basically, LIGHTLESS centers on Althea and Ananke, SUPERNOVA centers on the Mallt-y-Nos and the Wild Hunt, and RADIATE centers on Ivan and Mattie, with the same events retold over and over, from the POV of the corresponding characters in each book. While I enjoy experiencing the storyline through so many different perspectives, the constant switching between past and present weakened the effectiveness of rotating the viewpoints.

As far as I'm concerned, Ivan and Mattie are the true stars of the trilogy. Their relationship makes the strongest impression, and I love how the trilogy essentially begins and ends with those two. While I think the last flashback is an excellent touch, I really want more closure for Ivan, Mattie and the other survivors. Crazy as it may sound, especially after the way I criticized the second book, I would love a compilation of short stories told from the POVs of the supporting characters such as Anji, Christoph, Julian, Arawn and Marisol.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Space Battle Lacking Action

SUPERNOVA by C.A. Higgins begins with a flashback which takes place six months before the events at the end of LIGHTLESS, offering some insight into a terrorist attack by the Mallt-y-Nos against the System. While the story quickly returns to Althea and Ananke, alone with a ship full of corpses, the author continues to alternate between past and present events, throughout the rest of the story in an attempt to reveal the various personal relationships between the resistance fighters.

Periodically, readers are shown the interactions between Althea and Ananke, which are growing progressively more hostile on both sides. However, the majority of the novel is centered on the Huntress and her army. Her plans are unraveling, and many factions are rising up in place of the disposed System.

The result is a science fiction drama, rather than a sci-fi thriller. There is very little action, even though there is an ongoing battle involving multiple planets and moons. Anyone not impressed with the first book will likely be even more disappointed by this sequel. Ivan is the only likeable character at this point. I will finish reading this trilogy, but I don't expect the storyline to improve.

As always,
AstraDaemon

The System Has Been Compromised

LIGHTLESS by C.A. Higgins is described as the "deeply moving human drama of Gravity meets the nail-biting suspense of Alien," and the marketing for this story couldn't be more wrong. This is a story about a woman trying to defend the spaceship she has worked on for years. Althea considers the Ananke her child, so, when terrorists force their way on the ship, Althea has to become a different person to defend her life's work.

I'm a fan of the Alien movies and I have watched Gravity in the past, and I wouldn't compare either one of those movies to this novel. The human drama is basically the same issue that has always plagued mankind: people trying to control other people. The only suspense is how long it takes to drag the story out of Ivan (one of the terrorists) through his interrogation at the hands of Ida Stays. Ida is probably the most developed character, and she is just the stereotypical government official gone mad with power. I think this story could have been so much better with a lot more action, as well as more personality from the characters.

However, I desperately needed to know what, exactly, Mattie (Ivan's partner) did to Althea's beloved ship...specifically the computer of the Ananke, and that hook held me captive throughout the story. I also love the setting of the System: colonies on the planets and moons of our solar system, controlled by a government centralized on Earth, with everyone being monitored everywhere by cameras...all the time. Dare to rebel against the government officials? Kiss your atmosphere good-bye. Too bad the story was limited to the one ship. Hopefully, we will see more of the System in the sequel.

As always,
AstraDaemon