TOP 2020 FICTION | AstraDaemon

The pandemic lockdowns gave me the perfect excuse to avoid other people and read hundreds of stories (780 Kindle titles, not counting paperbacks). I must say this year also brought out the best of many authors...I had a difficult time choosing which stories would make my Top Fiction list. I decided to include several categories, so I could include more variety.

In no particular order, I give you my TOP 2020 FICTION recommendations:

SHORT STORIES

SLEEPING BEAUTI by D.B. Green and A.K. Stein is a mix of science fiction, fantasy and horror, and more plausible than the backstory of the Matrix movies.

FEAR INCORPORATED by Hervey Copeland is a combination of The Belko Experiment, Escape Room and The Condemned, written with the flair of Stephen King and the intensity of Tom Clancy.

ELFRIC by S.O. Bailey is a mix fantasy and suspense to teach compassion for others, especially those who have suffered great loss.

BEST DAY OF SUMMER: THE KEEPER by Clark Roberts is an extremely terrifying short story, especially if you're a parent.

WAIT FOR NIGHT by Stephen Graham Jones is a fantastic twist on a popular legend.

NOVELS

THE GHOSTS OF DAVID BROOK by Amy Cross is a fantastic ghost story.

HORRORFROST by Edward Newton involves an unseen force hunting during a whiteout.

THE MONSTERS WITHIN by Kody Boye is a coming-of-age story with a Donnie Darko twist in a Dreamscape setting. 

SETH by Christy Aldridge introduces readers to an evil entity who wears a paper bag on his head.

THE CHILDREN OF RED PEAK by Craig DiLouie is an explanation of how the unraveling of the world can begin with just a small group of people.

NOVELLAS

TRANSFER by Terry M. West is frightening...The Slender Man and Sinister mixed together to form one hell of a creepypasta.

MELT by Christopher Motz is a mix of sci-fi and horror, and so much better than any version of The Blob movies.

ONE FOR THE ROAD by Wesley Southard is one of the few stories I've read which lives up to all the accolades. This really is a mix of Silent Hill, Jacob's Ladder and Lost Highway.

THE VAMPIRE NEXT DOOR by James Loscombe is the darkest story I've read by this author, thus far.

PIRANHA by Eric S. Brown is very much like a SyFy movie, but with the savage brutality the author regularly unleashes on his fans...not your daddy's piranha.

ANTHOLOGIES

NO REST by Joslyn Chase is a collection of fourteen short stories, ranging from crime drama to mystery-suspense, featuring the best and worst of human nature.

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.

LEADERS OF THE PACK is a fantastic collection of werewolf stories from twelve authors, such as Jeff Strand and Ray Garton.

BOOK SERIES

ROADS LESS TRAVELED is a five-book series by C. Dulaney. A young woman named Kasey actually has a "Z-plan" in place before the zombie outbreak in the story. While traveling, Kasey and her friends make some startling discoveries about the undead. The story arc is amazing and unlike any other end-of-the-world scenario I've ever read, but the evolution of the characters is what really stands out. Dulaney digs into her creations, tears them into pieces and scatters their remains across each novel.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

PAN by Christopher Ruz is a dark version of the Peter Pan story, mixing folklore and mythology from more than one source. I absolutely love all the sinister secrets revealed through the POV of a Lost Boy named Jimmy. Once the narrator's identity is revealed, this short story became one of my all-time favorites.

LITTLE FREE LIBRARY by Naomi Kritzer is a flash fiction fantasy story, and I am BEGGING the author to write more. I love this story. I love all the details, the suspense, but the ending is too abrupt...the interaction is too fleeting.

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There you have it...my list of must-read stories from 2020. Please share this list to give these authors the recognition they deserve. I sincerely hope 2021 is better for everyone. Stay safe and keep reading!

As always,

AstraDaemon

Bonfire Beast | AstraDaemon

REGIFTING by Rebecca Daff begins with burning corpses, victims of the Yuletide Slayer. The author then introduces readers to another abomination, leaving nothing merry or jolly in its wake. No surprise, the story becomes monster vs. monster.

Daff leaves a trail of blood and gore from beginning to end, with Christmas in ruins for many.

As always,

AstraDaemon

A Dark Version of Santa | AstraDaemon

THE HAUNTING OF THE NORTH POLE (AND OTHER FESTIVE HORRORS) by Matt Shaw is a very dark collection, and if you aren't familiar with the author's work, you should go read the OCTOPUS or FULL MOON trilogy first. Consider yourselves warned:

THERE'LL BE PEACE THIS CHRISTMAS - a man just wants to relax, but his family won't give him a moment of peace

SANTA'S SACK - absolutely heartbreaking; Shaw reminds readers monsters don't always have fangs or claws

SANTA'S GIFT - this story made me laugh, and I'll probably burn for it

DEAR SANTA - one of my favorites; I appreciate the perspective

THE COST OF COAL - one of Shaw's darkest stories

HE IS REAL! - frightening, with a bit of dark humor

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS - another favorite; this is why I'm a fan of Shaw

#METOO - a horrifying description of Santa's punishment

LAST CHRISTMAS - another interesting perspective on the holiday

THE COST OF COAL (PART 2) - a sinister ending to this collection

After reading these stories, I'm afraid to ask Shaw where he gets his inspiration from. The psychological horrors within are proof he is an excellent storyteller, and his reputation for vulgarity is just a small aspect of his overall talent. Shaw had such a productive year in 2020, I can't wait to see what he does in 2021!

As always,

AstraDaemon

Last INTERVIEW of 2020 | AstraDaemon

Author Christy Aldridge is another discovery I made through Instagram. Someone shared a photo of her novel SETH, and the description really grabbed my attention. (You can read my review here.) Basically, Seth is an evil POS who makes Damian and the Corn kids look tame by comparison.

I couldn't wait to bring Aldridge into the Lair...

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Where did the idea for Seth come from?

I know a lot of people get ideas from random places, but Seth’s entire storyline and character spawned from an art piece by Stefan Koidl. He’s one of my favorite artists, and the picture he drew had a child in front of a church with a paper bag over his head and crows circling overhead. I couldn’t get my mind off of it, wondering what was going on behind that paper bag, and thus, Seth was born.

Do you consider yourself a horror author or do you let your stories decide the genre?

I think I definitely try to let the stories determine. I honestly don’t like the labels. I’m just me, writing books that I love and want to read. I’m not a horror writer. I’m not a female horror writer. I’m just Christy and I happen to write books, and I think, that alone, is pretty cool.

Who or what influences your writing, and how would you describe your storytelling style?

I know the standard answer to this question is usually to list off a couple of writers that really inspired you, but the more I think about it and grow in my craft, the more I realize that isn’t the case for me. My surroundings tend to influence me a lot. I live in the backwoods of Alabama and that definitely seeps it’s way into everything I write.

However, the people I know, and the ones I don’t, seem to make the biggest difference for me. My family, my boyfriend, my cats even. And I think they also help determined my style a long time ago. Character driven, real people often dealing with the demons inside themselves more often than the supernatural ones causing chaos. I like books about people. I like writing books about people.

Are you working on any new projects? What can readers expect from you in 2021?

Always, it seems. Only this year, I’m also working on some non-writing related ones. I’m planning to bring back my YouTube channel, as well as start a podcast. I’m really excited about that, but I’m very excited about the novel I’ll be releasing this year. I think it’s just the dark and disturbing thing we all need after the last year. So definitely stay tuned for that announcement as well.

Where can fans follow you on social media?

I’m on most of the platforms, even if I rarely use them.

Twitter: ChristyA_horror
Instagram: christy_aldridge
Youtube and Facebook: Christy Aldridge

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If you haven't added SETH to your reading list yet, I strongly recommend it.

As always,

AstraDaemon

No One Leaves The Family | AstraDaemon

David Young, Deacon Price, and Beth Harris live with a dark secret. As children, they survived a religious group's horrific last days at the isolated mountain Red Peak. Years later, the trauma of what they experienced never feels far behind.

When a fellow survivor commits suicide, they finally reunite and share their stories. Long-repressed memories surface, defying understanding and belief. Why did their families go down such a dark road? What really happened on that final night?

The answers lie buried at Red Peak. But truth has a price, and escaping a second time may demand the ultimate sacrifice.

THE CHILDREN OF RED PEAK by Craig DiLouie is somewhat similar to CHILDREN OF GOD (co-written with Jonathan Moon), giving the impression the author is carving out a comfortable place for himself in the cult sub-genre. For years, he's given readers brutal apocalypse and post-apocalypse stories, and now he appears to be offering an explanation of how the unraveling of the world can begin with just a small group of people.

The POV switches between the child survivors, now adults, with multiple flashbacks scattered throughout the novel. The lives they have created for themselves are not strong enough to keep the door closed against their memories, and their various coping mechanisms are no longer working. The four soon realize they are still technically part of the Family, and the Spirit of Red Peak is waiting for them to return.

While the religious fanaticism is horrific, with descriptions of abuse, mutilations, and the like, particularly the moments involving the children, what the four friends find at the top of the summit is the most terrifying. I'm not even sure I trust the ending not to be another manipulation of the mind.

While I recommend this one for the well-crafted suspense, I don't know if this will be fall into everyone's definition of horror.

As always,

AstraDaemon

When Evil Moves In | AstraDaemon

In the winter of 1966, a small southern town becomes entangled in a horror they never anticipated. With birds attacking the townfolk, the people only have one person to turn to; a five year old boy who proclaims to be prophet. He makes his claims of being sent by God to rid them of their sins. Everyone is falling for this little boy and his judgments.

But one boy knows differently. He's seen what this little boy is doing and he's determined to stop him. He's determined to make sure no one else knows the pain he's known.

As things begin to grow colder and the little boy's influence only grows stronger, everyone begins to wonder:

Who is Seth?

SETH by Christy Aldridge isn't a horror novel...this is a horror experience. Imagine getting caught in a bear trap: as you slowly bleed out, a predator comes along and begins tearing pieces away from you. You know you're going to die, but you don't know what's going to kill you first. This is pretty much the situation the narrator finds himself in...trapped, with his life slipping away, while having his family and friends torn from him.

Seth is one of the creepiest kids ever featured in the genre. As soon as he shows up with a freaking paper bag on his head, I knew someone should've taken a tire iron to the kid, ASAP. Unfortunately, even fictional characters are as reluctant to off a child, as we are in real life. Also difficult to fight such a devious enemy, when you have a murder of crows -- well, MURDERING people and attempting to steal their souls.

Throw in a zealous bible-thumper, small town culture, and teenagers, and you have the perfect recipe for a last stand in a demonic battle. Winner takes all. In the end, Aldridge doesn't release you from the trap or the predator, but shoves a paper bag down your throat as you try to take your last breath.

Highly recommending this one.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Corn Cob Accent | AstraDaemon

FRIEDRICH THE SNOW MAN by Lewis Shiner is a flash fiction story told from the POV of the snowman. There is a touch of dark humor laced with irony. Too bad the author didn't write a longer piece.

I wouldn't mind seeing Shiner have at a few other holiday favorites.

As always,

AstraDaemon

It Can Always Get Worse | AstraDaemon

FROSTBITE 2: LABYRINTH by Dave Jeffery is a sequel to the author's original mix of sci-fi, horror and crime drama. The second installment picks up with Knowles and Sully in pursuit of their common enemy. The author introduces a new rescue team with some intriguing backstories, giving readers several reasons to wonder how Appleby Enterprises might be connected to the killers in the Himalayas.

However, as the various characters find their way inside a hidden scientific compound, they soon realize their treacherous employer is just a tiny variable in a horrific experiment. New alliances are made as the enemy races to meet contractual obligations, and Knowles and Sully eventually discover their bond is far more valuable than they could ever imagine.

The cliff-hanger has a real 2020 feel to it...I hope Jeffery doesn't make fans wait too long for the end of this trilogy.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Kiss of Death | AstraDaemon

THE THYME FIEND by Jeffrey Ford is a short story centered on a young man who uses thyme to prevent disturbing visions, but this is also one hell of a ghost story, complete with small town drama and more.

I recently read THE TERROR by Ford, and this is far better. I would love to read more of the author's stories with this writing style. The ending really took the wind out of me.

As always,

AstraDaemon

He Sees You | AstraDaemon

Come Christmas Eve, Ted's the kind of man you might find in your street - waiting for all the kids to go to bed, waiting for the mince pies to be set out, for the reindeer food to be scattered across your lawn. But Ted's no jolly fat man, and he's more likely to take things from under the tree than set them down.

But when Ted enters the last house of the night in the sleepy town of Chester Burrow, he might find more than he bargained for under the tree. He might find out who's naughty, or nice...

BLOODY SANTA by Paul Stephenson is an excellent horror short. The setting, the pace, and the terrifying apparitions...all well written. Scrooge may have been scared into being nice, but some people just can't be helped. The ending is the perfect touch of dark humour.

As always,

AstraDaemon

A Different Christmas Ghost | AstraDaemon

NICHOLAS' LIGHT by S.E. Casey is a flash fiction piece is full of suspense, but not much else. The narrator is walking across a frozen lake at night, knowing the water never freezes over in the center. The guiding light, thought to be a gift from his deceased twin, disappears.

The fear of falling through the ice didn't suck me in, as much as the descriptions of the bottomless pit. If you have a fear of water and/or depths which cannot be measured, this will terrify you.

As always,

AstraDaemon

There's Always One | AstraDaemon

FAREWELL PERFORMANCE by Nick Mamatas is a flash fiction story with a post-apocalypse setting. Apparently, something Cthulhu-related took place, and humans thought nuclear weapons would fix everything.

The "performer" stresses the stupidity of mankind, but I think ignorance gave way to insanity.

I'd describe this as bizarro fiction.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Against the Grain | AstraDaemon

THE WALKING-STICK FOREST by Anna Tambour is written in a somewhat Victorian -style, centering on a man and his passion for designing canes without carving into the wood.

After beating a man down for making a vile request, a young woman appears one night to warn him of a murder-for-hire scheme. However, the forest has a way of defending itself.

The descriptions are fantastic, but there's not much action or dialogue.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Mean Girls | AstraDaemon

PONIES by Kij Johnson is a flash fiction piece I chose based on the controversy surrounding the story. This reminds me of an Aesop fable, but the lesson being taught could be interpreted many different ways. However, I think all readers can agree how soul-crushing kids can be to other kids.

The imagery is brutal, and the ending is devastating.

As always,

AstraDaemon 

Substance of Souls | AstraDaemon

NECRONAUT by Daniel Roy Greenfeld is a surprisingly horrifying sci-fi short. The perilous journey Shirley is taking is bad enough, especially with the terrible Captain and crew, but nothing could prepare me for the strange direction the author went with this story.

The concept of toxoplasma and everything associated with the substance is so fascinating and terrifying, I wish Greenfeld would write a sequel.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Second Time Around | AstraDaemon

Makino's mother taught her caution, showed her how to carve her name into cucumbers, and insisted that she never let a kappa touch her. But when she grows up and her husband Tetsuya falls deathly ill, a kappa that claims to know her comes calling with a barbed promise.

A CUP OF SALT TEARS by Isabel Yap is a mix of folklore and horror, but much of the story is the despair and desperation of Makino. The Kappa is so unusual, I wish this had been a longer story to include his POV and backstory.

I do recommend this one.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Persistence | AstraDaemon

CHAPTER SIX by Stephen Graham Jones features two disturbing characters following a large mass of zombies as they travel along an interstate. One is a professor, the other a college student, supposedly approaching the apocalypse with the minds of scholars. However, they seem to have lost their humanity.

The ending is so horrific, all I can say is, I feel sorry for the baby.

If you find this story too dark for your tastes, I recommend WAIT FOR NIGHT instead.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Deal With Death | AstraDaemon

A TERROR by Jeffrey Ford is a short story centered on Miss Emily Dickinson, based on a poem she wrote about Death. The author is very creative, and the writing style gives the appearance of historical fiction, rather than horror.

However, the task Emily is asked to preform involves a rather gruesome experience.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Fu Sheng Returns | AstraDaemon

BLOOD BONDS by Laura A. Ellison features the Chinese vampire, Fu Sheng, from the short story, A FOREIGN BODY. As with the short story, this novella is also a mix of crime drama, science fiction and preternatural characters, as well as multiple alien species.

An ancient vampire family makes their way to the New Galaxy (not an easy journey for vampires, who still have yet to make their species known to anyone), with news of in-fighting between the older and younger generations of vampires. The young ones are sick of hiding, but the older ones believe the humans will hunt them to extinction, even on other planets. The threat of exposure follows them to their new home. Unfortunately, the humans have spread throughout the known universe, much to the displeasure of the aliens.

You don't have to read the short story to enjoy this one, but I highly recommend reading A FOREIGN BODY first for context about the alien culture, as well as background about Fu Sheng and his few acquaintances.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Mind Tricks | AstraDaemon

IN THE DARK by SJ Hermann and Bella Emy is a little confusing. For the longest time, I wasn't sure if I was reading something supernatural or if the main character suffered from a severe mental illness.

Once I reached the epilogue, I understood what had happened, but the writing style didn't appeal to me at all.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Dinner Is Served | AstraDaemon

Jared Rodgers needed cash and had to work, while the rest of his hometown got to kick back and enjoy Labor Day. After answering a job ad in the local paper, he is directed to an abandoned warehouse. An ominous feeling grips him as soon as he enters the boarded-up building. By the time he realizes what’s going on, the hunt has already begun.

LABOR DAY HUNT by Calvin Demmer surprised me...I didn't know who Jared would have to face, and I didn't expect his situation to change so drastically.

However, for some sadistic reason, I wanted Alexander to be one of the investors, as a final blow to Jared.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Inheritance | AstraDaemon

MIRRORED by L.A. Detwiler is a flash fiction piece about a battle between wills, monster versus monster, but not the horror I expected. Too predictable and too short. I think this would have been much better if the author had written a longer piece to include more background about Claudette and her troubled relationship.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Cold and Empty | AstraDaemon

THE SECRET OF MILTON BOSKA by Samuel Fleming is a flash piece of science fiction, but most of the story is a description of the facility, with a brief dialogue between two characters. I didn't find this horrific in any way. More personal drama than anything.

I don't think a short story is the right format for this premise. Fleming should take the Boska family secret and develop it into a full-length sci-fi novel.

As always,

AstraDaemon

In the Dark | AstraDaemon

There he studies the culture and music of a small squatter population that lives in total darkness. This is the first time any student has been allowed to travel there. Chocky agrees to show the student around, although he has more pressing things on his mind. Maybe this tour will provide the resources he needs, after all.

THE TOURIST by Alex Sherman has some great descriptions, but there isn't much of story within the pages. The tourist learns very little. Chocky is desperate to get back to his den. The squatter culture remains a mystery.

I think this may have been better in a longer format, with more information about the characters, and with more variety in the POVs.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Puts "Cult" in Cultivation | AstraDaemon

DEMONS OF THE GARDEN by R.S. Mendoza is a great quarantine story. I love Greta, and I felt horrible for her, especially after the unwanted visitors at her home.

The ending is unpredictable and extremely disturbing, but I'm still Team Greta.

I'm going to recommend this one to both horror and sci-fi fans.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Death Sentence | AstraDaemon

JUSTICE FOR JIMMY by Victor Vilestone is a short story of revenge. While the concept seems straight-forward, the author throws in a few curves.

As I read this, sitting on my couch, I found myself on the edge of the cushions, racing to the end. Vilestone is often a savage with his characters, and this is no exception.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Should've Used Ear Plugs | AstraDaemon

DARJEELING by Syon Das is a short story filled with graphic horror. I love how the author builds suspense through Sunil's POV: a teen too curious for his own good. The descriptions are brutal, but not over-the-top. Das balances the gore and action perfectly, and adds a touch of cultural folklore to keep the readers frozen in fear.

I also recommend the author's story FAMILY.

As always,

AstraDaemon

No Delivery | AstraDaemon

THE CHRISTMAS MIRACLE is a horror short by Melissa L. Webb, author of CHECKING IT TWICE. Since I enjoyed her spin on Santa so much, I wanted to read another holiday horror piece by Webb.

This one really builds up the suspense, and delivers a horrific gut-punch at the end. Not a bad quickie, but I prefer CHECKING IT TWICE.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Holiday Horror | AstraDaemon

CHECKING IT TWICE by Melissa L. Webb is only a few pages, followed by lots of ads, but the flash fiction piece is one of the best holiday horror stories I've ever read. I absolutely love the concept the author has created, and I wish Webb had written more. I would read an entire novel based on this version of Santa and his elves.

Highly recommended to all readers!

As always,

AstraDaemon

Forest Hags | AstraDaemon

HOUSE OF BONES by S.G. Grant is a suspenseful mix of supernatural horror and folklore. Two park rangers find themselves trapped in a forest during a storm, and realize too late they are being hunted.

While enjoyed this short story, I wish the ending had gone on a bit longer to include Evelyn's reaction.

This is the first story I've read by this author, and I look forward to more.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Measured & Weighed | AstraDaemon

No vampire is ever innocent…

The wandering Judge Dee serves as judge, jury, and executioner for any vampire who breaks the laws designed to safeguard their kind’s survival. This new case in particular puts his mandate to the test.

JUDGE DEE AND THE LIMITS OF THE LAW by Lavie Tidhar takes readers into the social structure of vampires. Told through the eyes of Jonathan, a human companion to the Judge, the application of vampire law is observed.

A vampire calls for a judge to settle a dispute between two households. One claims his brother was murdered, the other claims self-defense. Judge Dee sees more than he hears, and does what he must to settle the dispute. Bloody fantastic ending.

I highly recommend this story to all genre readers, and I hope to see more of Judge Dee in future stories.

As always,

AstraDaemon