True Power

A MEMORY OF HAPPINESS by Erik Lynd is essentially a story of hate and loss. A warlock remembers being attacked by a village, but the same people now need his help. Even though he is powerful, he is not sure if he has the power to forgive, until another shows him something else even more powerful than magic and forgiveness.

A family drama set in a fantasy short...solid writing, but not as entertaining as some of the author's previous stories.

As always,
AstraDaemon

The Never-Ending Sacrifice

THE PLAYGROUND OF LOST CHILDREN by Erik Lynd is one of his best stories yet. The author mixes the supernatural with crime drama, creating a dark thriller about a detective facing her childhood fear. The flashback to the day her little brother disappeared is perfectly placed, and the playground appears to be a terrifying version of a fairy circle. The ending is bittersweet.

I usually prefer stand-alone stories, but I'd love some kind of sequel to reveal more of the history behind the secret place in the woods.

I also recommend IN THE PIT, which features another character experiencing flashbacks to a troubled childhood.

As always,
AstraDaemon

A Deadly Decision

Escaping from the killer was the easy part, surviving the frozen mountain landscape is another story. When a hunter gives her a second chance at life, Emily must decide what she is going to do with it: safety and comfort or vengeance.

THE PRINCESS, THE HUNTSMAN, AND THE MONSTER by Erik Lynd features a subject found in news headlines and twisted into something resembling a fairy tale. I kept expecting a supernatural element, so the ending really caught me off guard. Basically, this is a coming of age story, with Emily discovering who she really is. Very different from Lynd's previous work.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Damned & Discarded

HIS DEVIL by Erik Lynd is a flash fiction piece about a father who bails on his family for two years, then makes a violent entrance one night, with trouble on his heels. I'm vexed because the author never reveals what is really going on with the dad, and the ending is abrupt. Lynd missed an opportunity to write a longer, more horrific story.

BEING IT is a bonus short story about a businessman being sucked into a twisted game of tag. His sudden downward spiral is something readers will recognize as something most of us fear in real life: to be dismissed without so much as an afterthought.

While the two stories are definitely worth reading, most of the e-file is a sample promotion of another title by the author, which I could've done without. I do recommend DREAMS, IN THE PIT and PSYCHOPOMP by Erik Lynd.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Post-War Alien Contact

THEY EAT THEIR OWN by Erik Lynd is a sci-fi short set in the future, after an extensive war with aliens. With no victory in sight for either side, a treaty was created, but some will never feel peace.

Jake just wants to be left alone with his dog Max, but one of the aliens crashes onto his land. This triggers a flashback of basic training, where the human soldiers are warned, "They eat their own." As a result, the surviving aliens become stronger, unless they are completely destroyed.

The ending is somewhat predictable, but the post-war setting is very intriguing. I wouldn't mind reading a full-length novel about the war itself.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Wet and Lonely

DARK ON THE WATER by Erik Lynd centers on a grieving husband who lost his wife to a drowning accident near their lake house. There's more focus on his feelings than the past events with his wife. There is a moment with the neighbor, who has also lost his wife to suicide, when the lake appears to have a sinister secret. Unfortunately, the author lets the moment pass without any follow-through.

This is not a horror story. At best, one might be able to call it paranormal-suspense, but the lack of action is disappointing. Lynd has written much better stories than this.

As always,
AstraDaemon

A Quick Drop & A Sudden Stop

THE HANGING TREE by Erik Lynd is a very short story. (Most of the e-file is a preview of Lynd's horror novel, Asylum.) The author had me hooked as soon as Old Man Rudy began his ramblings about the Hanging Tree's dark history. The dynamics of the friend group, and the conflicts between their families fueled the suspense.

The turn of events isn't really surprising, but the ending is somewhat abrupt. I would have read an entire novel about the boys and the tree. Lynd does an amazing job of fleshing out the main characters in just a few pages, but he left me wondering about the nature of the tree and its companions. The author could do so much more with this premise.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Jeremey Deserves Better

SIEGE OF THE BONE CHILDREN by Erik Lynd begins with a grieving father and a memory of a cryptic revelation from his son: "Not me dad, you." Malcom didn't understand why his son felt the need to build a cardboard fort for him, nor did he realize it would be the last thing they did together, before his son is killed in an accident.

"The creaking of the stairs woke him from a sweaty sleep."

From that point on, I was absolutely terrified for Malcom. I also wondered, more than once, if Jeremy had some special gift of sight. I experienced this nightmare as both a parent and a child. Malcolm's son included so many surprises within the fort, increasing the the suspense and drama with every detail. The ending, unfortunately, really aggravated the hell out of me.

I hate to be THAT reviewer, but I can think of several other ways Lynd could've chosen to end the battle. I think Lynd basically gave the finger to Malcolm, and the author needs to do right by Jeremy. PLEASE WRITE A SEQUEL.

As always,
AstraDaemon

It Was An Accident

Samuel is a prisoner, innocent to some, guilty to others. But his prison is different than any other. Here the dead have a habit of coming back to life, madness is just around the corner, and the only real escape is into hell itself.

In the Pit by Erik Lynd is full of terrifying twists. Samuel wakes in his cell into what appears to be a night terror. His reluctance to explain his fear lands him in solitary confinement, where he experiences flashbacks to his troubled childhood. He thinks he might be going crazy, but the secret within the prison walls is more insane than any of Samuel's thoughts.

Lynd's vivid descriptions of the abominations surrounding Samuel left me feeling as trapped and frightened as the prisoner. I focused so much on his tortured soul, the ending came as one hell of a surprise.

As always,
AstraDaemon