Like A Broken Record | AstraDaemon

THE RECORD by Alexis Tiger features a ghost which shows up when a record is being played, and the ghost attempts to speak to Clifford. I couldn't wait to find out how the pieces were connected, but the storyline seemed rushed, and the ending is somewhat cheesy.

The interactions between Clifford an his therapist seem so unrealistic at times, they took away from the horror. I think the author should have chosen a longer format, with multiple POVs, and more character development.

The haunted record deserved more than a short story.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Second Chance | AstraDaemon

SLASH FORWARD by Grant Fieldgrove is an excellent flash fiction story. (Btw, the cover didn't make any sense until the very end.) I thought I would be reading about a sci-fi apocalyptic event, but the author created something I've never read before.

Not only is the narrator's flashback extremely entertaining, but I'm completely fascinated with her job prospect. I sincerely hope Fieldgrove writes another story with Quinn.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Taking Work Home | AstraDaemon

INFECTED HOUSE by Tom Coleman is part of a mini-series, which I didn't realize until I finished the story. The narrator shares some revelations from a highly classified project, providing quite the setup for the series.

This is the second time I've read something by Coleman. I still don't understand why the author releases his work in mini-chapters, rather than a single novella or novel.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Checkmate | AstraDaemon

BUG OUT by Charlie Dalton is a dark science fiction story, set in a dystopian future. Based on the description, I expected something like Starship Troopers, but this is nothing like the other. In fact, this battle with Bugs is far better, in my opinion.

The POV switches between two timelines: one begins with the discovery of the new alien species, and the other takes place after the war between humans and Bugs. In this way, readers will learn how the corporate decisions led to a nightmare mission on a planet with missing colonists.

The big reveal towards the end is absolutely horrific, and the very end is bittersweet. I highly recommend this one. I also recommend the author's short story, TYPHOID MARY.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Estranged Family | AstraDaemon

ON SAFARI IN R'LEYH AND CARCOSA WITH GUN AND CAMERA by Elizabeth Bear is a fascinating short story, written in a mixed style of Lovecraft and Bradbury. I love the hook at the beginning, and the delivery of the timeline. The author doesn't bog down readers with too many details, and yet manages to create more than one unique creature within a captivating setting.

I recommend this one to all readers, regardless of genre preference.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Love You to Death | AstraDaemon

DANCE WITH ME by Rocky Alexander centers on a young woman preparing to leave for college, while dealing with an obsessed ex-boyfriend. Luckily for her, she has an uncle in the police department. Unfortunately, he makes everything much worse.

The suspense is great...plays out kind of like a Tales From the Crypt episode.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Last Story, Last Breath | AstraDaemon

BURIED ALIVE by Ben Stevens is one of the most fantastic short stories I've ever read. The description had me thinking this would be some kind of escape suspense-thriller, instead, the author has created a powerful horror tale of self-discovery, redemption, rage and revenge.

There is not one dull moment in this story. From the first moment the narrator discovers he is trapped to the moment his story ends, every page had me on edge. I think this one could even be made into a movie.

Highly recommend to all readers, even if you're not normally horror fans.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Space Trash | AstraDaemon

UPDOWN by Simon Haynes is a sci-fi flash fiction piece about a visit from CPS to an abode which is no longer safe. After all, Daniel's dad fell through the floor, froze, and smashed like a plate.

The ending is horrific and shocking, and I love the setting so much, I wish Haynes would write a longer story about the planet.

I highly recommend this one.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Distracted Driving | AstraDaemon

Driving down a quiet, pitch black road in the middle of the national park, Emily concentrated as much as she could. Lost in her thoughts she had to frequently remind herself that she needed to concentrate. Clasping the steering wheel and fighting back emotions she breathed deeply to stay focused. It was the dead of night and the cars headlights illuminated nothing but tarmac and the foot of trees lining both sides of the road. She glances over at the passenger seat and looks at the supermarket shopping bag sitting there. Rapidly blinking and wrestling with her thoughts she puts her hand on the bag. Her hand shaking as she starts to rummage through the bag, then suddenly there was a dull thud underneath the car.

LYING IN WAIT by A.M. Dawkins is a flash fiction story filled with a rather disjointed storyline. Emily is distracted by her need for whiskey. Something has happened to her husband, but readers never find out why he's missing, which is a huge distraction. The description of her attackers is somewhat vague. The ending seems unfinished.

I think the author should have chosen a different format for this story idea. Fifty pages or more would have worked better than ten pages.

As always,

AstraDaemon

What Else Could Go Wrong | AstraDaemon

Tom Fellman doesn’t ask questions, he just buries the bodies. But this night he is sidetracked by his bumbling crew, and it can cost him his own life.

BURY IT DEEP by D.E. Michelle is a strange story, which begs to ask: how many thugs does it take to bury one body? Four is not enough in this case, especially when they have to deal with everything from crazies to the supernatural.

I wouldn't call this humorous...more bizarre than anything. The suspense is pretty good, especially in the end.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Rotten Fruit | AstraDaemon

Mrs. Tessie Buchanon was a woman of meager means. She lived alone on her inherited family farm but never had a regret right up until her untimely death at the age of 71. When two despicable thieves hatch a plan to rob the kind old woman, the powers of nature are the last thing they considered.

THE ORCHARD by Richard Allen Moore is just a few pages about two POS grandsons lacking respect for their grandmother and her orchard. Somewhat predictable, but still entertaining.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Details Matter | AstraDaemon

VENTURING OUT: DARK DIMENSIONS by Randy Norton is apparently the second story in a sci-fi mini-series. I'm not bothering to read the first or third installments because the editing was so damn horrible in this one.

Considering this is only a few pages, I have no idea why the three stories weren't simply released as one short story. Do yourselves a favor, and skip this one.

Instead, I recommend THE SHIMMER EFFECT by Randy Norton, which is the only story of his I've truly enjoyed.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Déjà Vu | AstraDaemon

ICE CREAM MAN by J.D. Krueger reminds me of another flash fiction story I read, almost exactly a year ago, with the same title, but different author name (Ben Larracey). I don't know if the author switched pen names and changed up the cover, or if this person plagiarized the other author.

Much like the first version I read, there is a lot of emphasis on how fat the kid is. If I didn't know any better, I'd think this IS the same story, re-released. Once again, I will say, more could have been done with the characters, and the ending is abrupt.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Moon Dog Didn't Do Crap | AstraDaemon

What happens when a pack of surfing werewolves make your local beach their hunting grounds?

MOON DOG WENT SURFING by D. Scott Maiorca is too brief. No action, just Moon Dog thinking to himself. No hunting, no killing, just alluding. Lost potential.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Late Night Visitor | AstraDaemon

Joshua and Daniel Duncan love Halloween. The unhealthy snacks, gory horror films, and corny decorations warm their teenage hearts like no other holiday ever could. However, on this Halloween night, someone special is at their front door. Someone they've known their whole lives. There's always room for family.

FAMILY by Syon Das is a great flash piece of horror, and I wish I had read this story closer to Halloween. I love the details about the boys and what they were watching on the TV. Great setting, solid build-up of suspense, and a perfect "oh shit" ending.

As always,

AstraDaemon

SPEED READING | AstraDaemon

FYI: due to medical reasons, I had to cut down my reading time, so this week will be strictly flash fiction. I just grabbed the first seven stories I found through an Amazon search. Here's hoping they don't suck...

As always,
AstraDaemon

Just Send Flowers | AstraDaemon

THE GIRL WHO WOULDN'T WAVE by Chris Davis is a sinister coming-of-age ghost story, and unlike anything I've read before. The main characters being children makes this even more horrifying.

I can't help but wonder about the car though.

In any case, I recommend this one to fans of ghost stories.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Journey Into Hell | AstraDaemon

DYING MEMORY by Ben Black is a short story which takes place in the apocalypse of his novel, PESTILENCE REIGNS. A woman and her elderly mother are trying to get to one of the safe zones, not fully understanding what is happening to the infected.

The two women face one setback after another, on their way to the marina. The ending is devastating.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Mind Games | AstraDaemon

PROJECT HINDSIGHT by Steven Pajak is a dark psychological thriller with a very twisted ending. The story centers on Joe, who gets a phone call at two in the morning from Rachel, an old girlfriend who's been missing for thirteen years. She eventually reveals that she was forced to be part of a secret government project, and the two of them are being hunted by agents sent to retrieve Rachel.

Several friendships and other relationships are torn apart and utterly destroyed because of Project Hindsight. The story is filled with drama and action, leading up to a rather brutal and tragic final reveal.

Steven Pajak continues to perfect his style of horror, this time focusing on the sick ambition of men and their ruthless way of taking whatever they want. Pajak continues to be one of my favorite authors.

I also recommend Pajak's MAD SWINE series.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Face Off | AstraDaemon

MONSTER HUNT by Eric S. Brown is more of a scifi-thriller than a true Lit RPG. The action is almost nonstop, especially with the characters choosing combat situations for each level. Unfortunately, the characters aren't very developed, so they don't seem like much of a true team.

I don't think this is the worst story Brown has ever written, but it's certainly not his best. For a better hunting theme, I recommend HUNTERS instead.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Setting the Web on Fire | AstraDaemon

PEST by Matt Shaw is not for those with weak stomachs. I began gagging on page 16, but I remained determined to read the story to the very end. I thought I knew what to expect, but the author filled the pages with all kinds of disgusting surprises. (I gagged again over page 55.)

Shaw isn't your typical "extreme horror" author, many of which only deal in shock and gore. His characters are well developed, and he transforms even the most mundane settings into something traumatizing.

I had no idea where the author would take the story, but the ending is an absolute masterpiece. Do whatever you have to get through the gross parts because the epilogue is one of the best reveals I've ever read.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Some Neighbors Suck | AstraDaemon

THE VAMPIRE NEXT DOOR by James Loscombe is the darkest story I've read by this author, thus far. I didn't expect anything so horrific, but there is one scene in particular which just about broke me. There is nothing sweet or seductive about the vampires in this story.

While there isn't much character development, the suspense is great and the action is intense. This novella works well as a stand-alone, but I wouldn't say no to another story with Haywood.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Screams Replace Songs | AstraDaemon

THE MUSIC MAN by Amy Cross is more YA science fiction than anything else. This is nothing like the stories I've come to expect from Cross books. There's plenty of suspense, but not much else. Readers never learn the specific reason why the music is taken, and very little is revealed about the strange creatures responsible for the theft. There's very little character development, as well.

I instead recommend THE OTHER ANN by Amy Cross for a good sci-fi story.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Death Rattle | AstraDaemon

THE DIGGERS by Jonathan Maas is very simple, and yet monumentally horrific. The dead have reanimated. All of them. Not just humans. Not just the recently deceased. Every creature which has ever lived on Earth has reanimated. Everywhere.

For thousands of years, we buried our dead...and now the ground trembles beneath our feet.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Death by Marsh | AstraDaemon

THIRD TIME UNLUCKY by Victor Vilestone is a flash fiction story about a thief who pushes his luck too far by stealing from the same residence more than once. I will admit, I hoped for a drain to be involved. In any case, I'd love to see Marsh brought back for another story.

I also recommend CREAM OF REVENGE SOUP by Vilestone.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Just A Moment | AstraDaemon

A hunter seeking big game in the Bangladesh wilderness comes across a village haunted by an urban legend.

WHAT I SAW IN THE MANGO TREE by Aaron Pfau is a flash fiction piece which spends most of the pages setting up the ending. While the story has a tone similar to The Ghost and The Darkness, the characters and, sadly, the setting have no depth. The creature itself is never fully revealed, so I'm not sure if this story even counts as something supernatural. There's simply not enough action to call it horror.

There is potential which would best be brought in the form of a novella, rather than a few pages.

As always,

AstraDaemon

The Eyes Are Windows | AstraDaemon

Young Peter Hackles has never lacked for anything, having been raised in the household of his mysterious Uncle Rackham: the wealthiest landowner in Egbert Valley. But that all changes on the day Peter and his friends discover a savaged corpse in their village. Thereafter, frightful howls begin to echo through the woods and the moors, and a single act of compassion draws the boy unwittingly into the lair of an unimaginable beast...and into the heart of a terrible secret that no amount of earthly riches can spare him from.

OFF THE LEASH by Matthew Brady is a reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood, and the ending is absolutely horrific. I love the way the author mixes a fairy tale with supernatural darkness, creating one hell of a werewolf story.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Lost His Marble | AstraDaemon

THE MILK BOY by Scott Donnelly is a prequel to THE WHOOL (which is one of my favorites from 2020). The two stories could be read in chronological order, but I think readers will appreciate the details more, if they read THE WHOOL first.

This time Donnelly blends cult horror with the supernatural to create a terrifying and twisted coming-of-age abomination. Now, more than ever, the author needs to give closure to this tale. I wouldn't be surprised if there is another hidden connection between Doyle and Erick.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Fireside | AstraDaemon

LED BY BEASTS by Clark Roberts is an assortment of horrifying bits and pieces, many featuring children as the terrifying force behind the beasts:

THE BOY: great intro to the collection, followed by some thoughts on Stephen King

VENGEFUL FANGS: a son avenges his father

BUFFOONVILLE: a woman discovers a twisted secret about her husband

THE WITCH'S MUSHROOM: brothers craving the same thing, followed by some Bentley Little chit-chat

CARNY BOB: marital issues are made worse by dragging up the past

CRAFTMANSHIP FOR FOOD: one of the weirdest stories I've ever read

COSTUMES: this is one of the best stories I've ever read, followed by a confession about Peter Straub

A LIFETIME OF DEVILISH HAUNTS: a deep story, with a bittersweet ending

THE CHOSEN DEATHS OF THE FACELESS: somewhat confusing, and quite sad

SOMETIMES: very sick and twisted, followed by a few memories of Clive Barker

A REUNION ON ZONBI PRAYA: ocean creature wrecks a marriage

THE PATH TO LUST: like being sober at a party where everyone is wasted

LILITH: karma, followed by an experience with Laird Barron

THE DEVIL'S FINGERS: mourning and murder

THE VDOVA GODDESS: a devil and a goddess

THE WHOLE WORLD IN THEIR HANDS: this one would make a frightening movie

EPILOGUE: the boy who grew up with stories

All of the stories are intriguing, some are terrifying, some are heart-breaking...my favorite is COSTUMES. Roberts has definitely leveled up with his storytelling.

As always,
AstraDaemon

New Episode of The Game | AstraDaemon

MURDER HOUSE: WHO WILL SURVIVE? (THE GAME BOOK 5) by Matt Shaw is (obviously) one of his infamous black cover books, which I usually try to avoid because my level of comfort with the author's brand of horror stops at the Octopus trilogy. I chose to read this one because I am one of the characters, but I've also found Shaw's creations during 2020 to be quite entertaining. Apparently, being locked down stokes his dark imagination.

While there are small references to previous installments in The Game series, this novella can function as a stand-alone. Also, this black cover book is rather tame compared to some of the bits and pieces I've seen quoted from the others. I love the crime noir Shaw worked into the storyline. Shaw may have made a name for himself with graphic horror, but he has a real flair for drama within relationships.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Odds and Ends | AstraDaemon

THE LITTLE WITCH by M. Rickert is a very peculiar short. I thought this would be a story about the little girl dressed as a witch, but as I read, I realized this is most definitely a story about the old lady...the real witch.

I found the relationship between the two to be sweet and dark at the same time, and the ending is a bit confusing, as far as Officer Sharon.

While I appreciate the originality, the writing style is not necessarily my cup of herbal tea.

As always,

AstraDaemon