Shadow Walkers | Horror Review | AstraDaemon

BAD VISION by Dave Jeffery is a strange story, quite different from his supernatural and post-apocalyptic stories. I struggled with the format of this one because the POV changed often, without warning, and I had to backtrack several times once I realized the storyline had shifted from one character to another.

This is more or less five short stories blended together to form one novella, with Ray being the one to connect them all, even if the connection is tenuous at best. Jeffery presents a psychic, an adulterer, a murderer, a stalker and an artist  to readers, while cleverly comparing and contrasting the different shades of immorality. I suppose the detective could pass for a sixth, with his story being a crime drama of sorts.

If you would enjoy a soap opera of deception and horror, this is one you can't pass up.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Re-education | Book Review | AstraDaemon

THE SAMARITAN by Dave Jeffery is the third installment in a series about a meningitis mutation which causes deafness. Those born deaf (Harbingers) are blamed for the virus, and those who retain their hearing (Harks) are forced into slavery for those survivors who have become deaf after contracting the disease. Cathedral is one of the settlements which victimizes both Harbingers and Harks, while forbidding the use of sign language. Last but not least, the Samaritans patrol beyond the walls for supplies and survivors. The first two stories can be read in any order, but I recommend reading both of them before this third novella.

This one hit me harder than the others in the series. You know you're going to be a mess by the end when you're covering your own mouth to stop the screams. The experiences of the main character are a study of coercive persuasion in multiple forms. Jeffery couldn't have shocked me more if he took a crowbar to my knees. The ending absolutely floored me.

I highly recommend this series to all readers, not just horror fans...and keep in mind, the author wrote the first book BEFORE the pandemic.

As always,

AstraDaemon

A Cheese Sandwich For A Swan | AstraDaemon

Madness is relative...

Jonathan Dupree knows this all too well. He’s moved in with his mother to look after his uncle, a life-long sufferer of mental illness.

When school kids target Jonathan, he makes a pact with a local gang to fit in, a pact that will see him betray his family and seek redemption from a most unlikely source.

FINDING JERICHO by Dave Jeffery is a story I could relate to as someone who has lived with and cared for someone afflicted with mental illness for decades. In my younger years, I was Jonathan, now I am more like his mother. I wish I could have read this book in my teen years, when I was struggling to develop empathy for others. By the end, I couldn't stop sobbing...but it was a good cry.

The author uses fictional characters to highlight several issues which many of us have experienced in one form or another, such as depression, bullying, and our perception of others. Through Jonathan's personal experiences, Jeffery illustrates the stigma surrounding mental illness, and the need for more understanding and compassion...not just the ill, but everyone we come into contact with. We are often connected in ways we fail to realize.

Of course, Jeffery uses his slight-of-hand storytelling to create a few surprises which will leave a lasting impression on readers. I'm recommending this novella to everyone.

If you'd like another example of Jeffery's food-for-thought writing style, check out A QUIET APOCALYPSE, which features the hearing-impaired.

As always,

AstraDaemon

A Quiet Interview | AstraDaemon

Back in October of 2019, I read an apocalypse story unlike any I have read before or since: A QUIET APOCALYPSE. There are no zombies, nothing supernatural of any kind...only people enslaving other people. After an illness renders most people deaf, the hearing are hunted down to become servants for the newly hearing impaired. Those born deaf are given a much more terrifying treatment, as they are blamed for the virus which causes the loss of hearing.

About a year and half later, I read the sequel: CATHEDRAL. While Book 1 is told from the POV of a Hark, someone who can still hear, Book 2 is told from the POV of a virus survivor who is deaf. Readers are shown how they have adjusted to their condition, as well as the terrifying way they justify victimizing Harks and Harbingers (the slur for deaf-born). I knew the people in Cathedral were irrational, but I had no idea just how truly insane they have become.

I decided to invite the author, Dave Jeffery, to the Lair, in order to discuss his unusual pandemic nightmare...

---

Did you ever expect so much interest in A Quiet Apocalypse?

First of all, a huge ‘thank you’ to AstraDaemon’s Lair for inviting me along to chat. I love your site and feel honored to be here. In terms of your question, I knew that the idea was unique, but never thought it would be so well received on that basis. The book itself was conceived as a short story, and I never thought beyond that, if I’m honest. I got to a first draft and the file was somehow wiped from my old laptop during its Windows 10 upgrade and I thought that it was an omen the story wasn’t quite finished. I dusted down my notes and rewrote the draft again, but this time with the thought of a longer piece in my head.

The current Covid-19 situation has, to my total surprise, galvanized people into buying the book based on its realistic premise. Far from shying away from post-apocalyptic fiction during a very real pandemic, readers appear drawn to A Quiet Apocalypse’s realistic style.

Why choose loss of hearing as the post-apocalyptic trait? Do you have a personal connection to deaf culture?

The concept originates from my work with the culturally Deaf back in the 90s. I was a mental health professional for over nine years, working solely with Deaf community, and fluent in British Sign Language (BSL). A hearing person made a statement that they would be terrified of being deaf, and this got me thinking about a story where all people in the world became deaf. The more nuanced material in the story, that of culturally Deaf people being wrongly blamed and victimized for the disease, came as the story development progressed. It took a good ten years before I realized that I had something in terms of a viable story. I don’t tend to rush these things, not when you have a premise as original as that of A QUIET APOCALYPSE, you have to get it right from the off.

Several years ago, I was diagnosed with Meniere’s Disease, a condition that affects the inner ear. I only have 35% hearing in my right ear and wear an aid. I used to consider the real possibility of losing my hearing, although this is now unlikely as I have lived with the disease for over 10 years and it only affects one ear. Yet, and this is the truth, I have never feared going deaf as I know there is a vibrant community to which I would be able to turn for support.

Is this series a way to include a new POV in the apocalypse genre, or is this your way of showing how history repeats itself – especially the dark parts?

The first person POV is a deliberate device to isolate the protagonist, and consequently the reader, so that it reflects the sensory loss in the story. This has its advantages and disadvantages. An advantage is that you are trapped in the world of a single person, interpreting it through their eyes, experiencing it first-hand, giving the whole situation a claustrophobic, almost suffocating, lens. A disadvantage is that some readers struggle with the notion of not being able to know everything there is about the world outside. This has drawbacks in that they may make assumptions of what the world is about, and consider this a failing of the story when they may have misinterpreted what is going on as they only have the perspective of one character. A QUIET APOCALYPSE is a series, and I can assure those readers that burning questions will be answered, but over time, during the course of the series.

Thinking of it as a TV show that you can’t binge-watch is the best way to approach the series. Each book may well be self-contained, but the universe is on a continuum and the patient reader will be rewarded with answers. Honest!

Have you had any feedback from deaf readers? If so, what do they think of the horror you’ve created?

Not as of yet. I look forward to reading their thoughts, though. Such feedback would help shape future stories for sure.

You began the series with an enslaved-hearing man, then switched to a stricken-deaf resident of Cathedral for your second installment. In both, the characters born deaf have mostly been used to precipitate a major plot point or to reflect the insanity of the afflicted. Will readers be given an entire book from the POV of a naturally deaf person?

Without wanting to give the game away too much, there may well be a reference point that uses this scenario. It is likely to be in book 4, where we have a coming together of various storylines, but in a novel way. I know this seems ambiguous, but that’s deliberate as I want this to be a surprise for the readers.

Is there any chance of Chris and Sarah crossing paths with one another before the series is over?

I wouldn’t rule out anything purely based on the road ahead. The joy of the series is that readers can envisage the stories running in parallel, or being concurrent, or happening in two different decades. Until the final story is told, I guess we’ll never quite know, but we can consider how things will pan out but, much like life, not all plans come to fruition.

You also have another series gaining in popularity: Frostbite. Please tell readers a bit about the storyline.

FROSTBITE (SEVERED PRESS) is a very different genre. Basically, it is my take on the yeti mythology but with a twist. One thing I never want to do is tread the same path as other writers, so I try to put my own spin on it. How many times have we seem people lost on a mountain or in the wilderness, stalked by savage creatures determined to wipe them out? As thrilling as that scenario may be, as a writer I find it personally tedious.

My tale is set against the backdrop of a secret alien invasion. A group of mercenaries duped into the rescue of a professor’s son find themselves on the slopes of the Himalayas for nefarious purposes. As they deal with a double-cross, they also face both mythical yetis and extraterrestrial beings who have wiped out the yeti population to use them as war machines. The yetis are victims of the invaders, with their own culture and mythos. I have deliberately moved away from the idea of these incredible creatures being mere monsters, devoid of empathy or civilization. The story is no-hold-barred and very left-field and unashamedly pulp in its approach. Fans certainly love the dynamics between Knowles, the foul-mouthed mercenary and Sully, her yeti sidekick. BOOK 2: LABYRINTH was released a few months ago and the response has, again, been very positive. BOOK 3: EARTHFALL will be released in 2022.

What can fans expect from you in 2021?

The third A QUIET APOCALYPSE book will be released this year. It is called THE SAMARITAN and is currently with my publisher, Dean M Drinkel at DEMAIN PUBLISHING. I am also writing the sixth Beatrice Beecham supernatural adventure/mystery book (THE DEVIL DEVICE) for CROSSROAD PRESS and a sci-fi horror novel called HYMNS FOR DEAD STARS, again for DEMAIN PUBLISHING. I’m lucky enough to be very busy, with more titles planned for release next year and beyond. I just want to say that I’m genuinely grateful to anyone who invests time and money into what I do. This, of course, includes AstraDaemon’s Lair! It is appreciated very much.

---

I am a huge fan of Dave Jeffery, so I also recommend his werewolf novel, TOOTH & CLAW (Grinning Skull Press), which also has a sequel on the way.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Absolute Insanity | AstraDaemon

CATHEDRAL by Dave Jeffery is the sequel to A QUIET APOCALYPSE, but either one can function as a stand-alone or be read in reverse order. In both books, a global pandemic kills millions, while survivors of the meningitis mutation are rendered deaf. The hearing are hunted down to become servants for the newly afflicted. Those who are born deaf are blamed for the virus, and are brutally tortured to death.

While Book 1 is told from the POV of a Hark, someone who can still hear, Book 2 is told from the POV of a virus survivor who is deaf. Readers are shown how they have adjusted to their condition, as well as the terrifying way they justify victimizing Harks and Harbingers (the slur for deaf-born). I knew the people in Cathedral were irrational, but I had no idea just how truly insane they have become.

I would like two more books set in this world: one story told from the POV of a deaf-born, and one final book with the Harks and deaf-born working together to take down Cathedral and like-minded settlements. I don't even need a happy ending, but I'd love to see Chris and Sarah in a confrontation, just to tie the storylines together.

In any case, I recommend this series to ALL readers.

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

Halloween Reading: Wolf Week | TOOTH & CLAW | AstraDaemon

TOOTH & CLAW by Dave Jeffery (Grinning Skull Press) is one of the best werewolf stories I've ever read. The author has blended folklore, crime drama and horror with an excellent balance of action and suspense to create one hell of a thriller! If someone mixed the movies Silver Bullet with Predator, the result still wouldn't come close to the excruciating gauntlet Jeffrey puts his characters through.

This week, the giveaway prize will be a PERSONALIZED autographed copy by the UK horror author. The winner will receive a paperback copy written out to them specifically by name. So, for those of you unlikely to travel to the UK for a chance to meet the author, this is the next best thing!

In order to enter, just leave a comment on one of the Wolf Week posts. A winner will be chosen the evening of October 18th.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Not Your Daddy's Yeti Story

FROSTBITE by Dave Jeffery is a mix of sci-fi and horror, with some crime drama sprinkled in for a little extra spice. To date, I've only read two other stories by the author, TOOTH & CLAW and A QUIET APOCALYPSE, and this is nothing like either of those stories. However, Jeffery is still a master storyteller, keeping his readers guessing from one chapter to the next.

I don't want to give anything anyway, but this isn't anything like any other Bigfoot/Yeti story I've ever read. I love the bizarre direction Jefferey ran with this iconic legend. Knowles and Sully are my new favorite fictional team, and, at the risk of sounding like an absolute freak, I hope they become more than allies.

I didn't realize until the end, this is to be continued in a sequel. I sincerely hope the author follows through.

I also recommend A QUIET APOCALYPSE by Jeffery: after an illness renders most people deaf, the hearing are hunted down to become servants for the newly hearing impaired.

As always,
AstraDaemon

TOP 2019 FICTION

Here is my end-of-year compilation of the stories which really impressed me in 2019, everything from short stories to stand-alone novels, book series and novellas:

TOP 2019 SHORT STORIES

INSULAR by Jamie Stewart presents the concept of being so wrapped up in our own heads that we miss something very wrong happening right in front of us, and made such an impact on me, I also recommend TRICK OR TREAT by the same author. You will definitely see Stewart in the Lair a third time in January 2020.

A GOOD PAIR OF EYES by Matthew Buza is a crime drama mixed with supernatural horror, and the story scared the crap out of me with the vivid descriptions. If you like movies such as The Grudge or Unfriended, you're going to love this short horror story.

THE CAT ON ALPINE ROAD by Keith Knapp is full of suspense, and the cat, Buckshot, is magnificent. If you love the cat, General, from the movie Cat's Eye, you'll enjoy Knapp's story.

PHILOPHOBIA by Sin Ribbon is a short story about a man attempting to resurrect his wife. I'm so intrigued with the town itself, Ribbons could probably create a few more stories with the townsfolk, particularly with Mrs. Becca's church and Lisa Common.

EASY.GONE. by Daniel J Ings is terrifying. I can't imagine what Mr. Yan was thinking, selling such a dangerous item as the pocket-sized Necronomicon to a kid with a huge chip on his shoulder.

I JUST WANT TO DIE by Nicholas Wolff mixes horror, sci-fi and drama to create one of the best apocalyptic outbreak scenarios I've ever read! Wolff has taken the plague subgenre to a new level.

I'M ALL ALONE AND IT'S GETTING DARK by Brandon Lee Hayes is a story told from a child's POV. He wakes up from a nightmare to pee and finds the babysitter missing. (This story made me think of the illustration of a toy bear using a sword to defend the sleeping child from a monster.) Roosevelt is the kind of bear I'd want my kid to have.

THE HIKE by Sarah Gribble is far better than I expected. I thought it would be a group of people getting attacked by a werewolf, but it's so much worse, and there's far more to the story.

PARK CLOSES AT DUSK by D.W. Nathan is the best short story I've read by the author. For some reason, I thought I would be reading a vampire story, but the creatures Nathan has created are much more terrifying. If you like Ghoul by Brian Keene, you're going to love the nightlife in this park.

THE TUNNELERS by Geoff Gander is one of the best stories I've read in 2019, even though this story was published in 2011. Halfway through reading, I googled legends of the First Nations to figure out which parts are historical and how much of the story is a creation of the author. What I found convinced me Gander is Lovecraft reincarnated.

---

TOP 2019 NOVELS

ONE OF US by Craig DiLouie is a very emotional drama set in 1984. The horror element is the way the characters treat each other: deplorable. I've often commented in my reviews about the definition of a monster...DiLouie wrote an entire novel about the debate over what defines a monster.

TOOTH & CLAW by Dave Jeffery (author of A Quiet Apocalypse) is one of the best werewolf stories I've ever read. The author has blended folklore, crime drama and horror with an excellent balance of action and suspense to create one hell of a thriller!

EMILY ETERNAL by M.G. Wheaton is one of the best science fiction novels I've read in a long time, and one of the most creative stories I've read this year. This thriller is told from the POV of the artificial consciousness, a five-year science experiment attempting to save humanity. Basically, the author has combined a crime drama in an E.L.E. setting with a sci-fi coming-of-age battle for survival.

THE FOREST by Julia Blake centers on the villagers of Wyckenwode and the Forest, filled with secrets which have affected the lives of every generation. Blake has skillfully woven folklore, suspense, drama and romance together to create a detailed coming-of-age tapestry. I haven't been this moved by a fantasy novel since the last time I read Ursula K LeGuin.

---

TOP 2019 SERIES

Grinning Skull Press has a GRAVE MARKER series, eighteen so far, and I recommend all of them. One in particular, THE MEMOIR OF DARIUS FISCHER by Ezekiel Kincaid mixes theology, mysticism, folklore and more with the precision of a master.

I AM THE NIGHT by Ruth Miranda is a companion story for her Blood trilogy, and narrated by Marcus. This installment offers fans of the series his perspective on events leading up to his confrontation with Caius, as well as the beginning of his relationship with Marianne.

THE BEAUTIFUL ONES series by Kody Boye follows the POV of a sixteen year old girl, Kelendra, chosen to keep up genetic standards for the Glittering City. The society Boye has crafted contains elements similar to the Hunger Games and The Handmaid's Tale, while retaining the author's skill in using personal drama to draw readers into his disturbing creation.

---

TOP 2019 NOVELLAS

IT NEVER DIED by Joshua Scribner is the author's best story, of the 100+ stories I have read by Scribner. This isn't just a supernatural story, or a karma/revenge plot, this is the ultimate reincarnation tale!

A QUIET APOCALYPSE by Dave Jeffery (author of Tooth & Claw) is a very different kind of post-apocalyptic story. There are no zombies, nothing supernatural of any kind...only people enslaving other people. After an illness renders most people deaf, the hearing are hunted down to become servants for the newly hearing impaired. Those born deaf are given a much more terrifying treatment, as they are blamed for the virus which causes the loss of hearing.

---

Special thanks to all of you who share my review and interview links and help get the word out about all the great indie authors and small presses! There are tons of great stories to read in horror, science fiction, fantasy and suspense, but many readers are afraid to try the unknown.

Have a safe New Year's Eve, and be sure to come back in 2020 for even more fantastic recommendations!

As always,
AstraDaemon

Apocalyptic Slavery

A QUIET APOCALYPSE by Dave Jeffery is a very different kind of post-apocalyptic story. There are no zombies, nothing supernatural of any kind...only people enslaving other people. After an illness renders most people deaf, the hearing are hunted down to become servants for the newly hearing impaired. Those born deaf are given a much more terrifying treatment, as they are blamed for the virus which causes the loss of hearing.

Chris begins a journey to find a place called The Refuge, a safe haven for those with hearing. With an injury meant to keep him from running away, he attempts to escape the hunters known as Samaritans. Unfortunately, Chris realizes too late, the blessing of his immunity has become a curse.

This is only the second book I've read by Jeffery, but I love his storytelling. This is one I can recommend to all readers, not just horror fans.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Hunt Or Die

TOOTH & CLAW by Dave Jeffery (Grinning Skull Press) is one of the best werewolf stories I've ever read. The author has blended folklore, crime drama and horror with an excellent balance of action and suspense to create one hell of a thriller! If someone mixed the movies Silver Bullet with Predator, the result still wouldn't come close to the excruciating gauntlet Jeffrey puts his characters through.

While I'm satisfied with the ending, as well as shocked by the turn of events, I am left with a few questions I feel the author could answer in a sequel. Or, better yet, a companion novella retelling events from the lycan POV. I'm definitely adding Tooth & Claw to my Top 2019 list!

As always,
AstraDaemon

Dip Into The Lake

In an effort to introduce readers to new authors and their various collections, Crystal Lake Publishing released four short stories as part of their Crystal Lake Shorts:

In Victorian London, a select group of writers, led by Arthur Conan Doyle, Bram Stoker and Henry James held an informal Ghost Club, the price of entry to which was the telling of a story by each invited guest.

This is one of the tales.

In the House of the Dead is a Ghost Club short story by William Meikle and told through the fictional voice of Bram Stoker. The story itself is revealed through letters and journal entries. Although there is little action to be had, the suspense is captivating and the ending is rather ironic, given the nature of the situation. I think Meikle did a good job capturing the spirit of Stoker.

---

On a trip through the Sipsey Wilderness Area in remote Alabama, a couple is rescued from the flooded river they’re canoeing by two burly men in overalls who seem to have their best interests in mind.

That’s until the two brothers deliver Blaine and Casey into the horrifying nightmare that is their twisted household—the patriarch of which is involved in a project that exceeds the human realm.

A Puddle in the Wilderness is a Varying Distances short story by Darren Speegle and I'll be damned if I can describe it at all...an erotic chaotic alien mind trip? That sounds about right.

---

Teen sleuth Beatrice Beecham and her gang of friends have a new case to solve. In the coastal town of Dorsal Finn a timber wolf escapes from a smuggler’s boat at White Wharf. Livestock is found mauled, and the locals are crippled with fear by the hideous sound of snarls and howls in the moonlit nights.

Because Dorsal Finn is not like any other town, things are often drawn to it, strange creatures that are not meant to exist. Now Beatrice and The Newshounds have to find out if the creature roaming the fields and moors is actually an escaped wolf, or something far more sinister. And somehow stop it before the beast adds the residents of Dorsal Finn to its menu!

The Wolf of White Wharf is part of the Beatrice Beecham series by Dave Jeffery. This story is campy young adult fiction with some supernatural elements in an attempt to keep things interesting. Unfortunately, the story didn't live up to any of the hype. I honestly wouldn't recommend this story to anyone above age 13.

---

Fires are being started in abandoned warehouses in the older industrial area of San Francisco, and none of the professionals in the fire department can figure out how they're being started in order to catch the arsonist. 

What is the motive? 
Why is the arsonist setting fires? 
Insurance? 
Revenge? 
Some kind of psychological perversion?

Firebug is part of the Frozen Shadows anthology by Gene O'Neill. I enjoyed the spark accompanying the journal entries, but found the ongoing investigation somewhat suffocating. I'm not sure if the author wrote the opposing moods that way on purpose or not, but it highlights the differences between the two main characters: one starting fires, one trying to put them out. The supernatural element is so subtle, maybe it is a figment of the arsonist's imagination, but it's a brilliant touch to the story.

---

Crystal Lake Publishing hasn't been around as long as some of the other dark fiction publishers, but they have a diverse stable of authors with all kinds of stories and novels to choose from. If you're looking for something new, readers should definitely check out their website.

As always,
AstraDaemon