No Rest for the Wicked | AstraDaemon

THE GREENWOOD SERIAL KILLER by K.B. Knight is the third book in this series. Jasmine has survived all kinds of unbelievable insanity in her little town, only to have more people die around her yet again. Many believe she purposefully brings the evil down onto herself and others. As if the transition from teen to adult isn't difficult enough, Jasmine must find her way with a trail of blood and corpses.

The author doesn't even try to be subtle with this one. Knight throws his readers into the arms of the killer early on, while slaughtering his characters as quickly as he creates them. If Jasmine had any sense, she'd find a way to wipe the town of the face of the earth instead of risking her life yet again.

Greenwood is very much like a gas-station restroom at this point: one hell of a mess. Can't wait to see what Knight does in the fourth book.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Taking Out The Trash

OUTLAST YOUR GODS by Elias Witherow is dark like THE THIRD PARENT, but without the supernatural entity. This time, the trouble comes in the form of a new neighbor, Sawyer, who attempts to influence the impressionable mind of Rowan. The poor kid is determined to be a good person, but, with everyone and their dog antagonizing him, Sawyer's way of thinking seems to make sense.

Unfortunately, the thirteen year old is dragged into a waking nightmare by the raging drunk, and he's lost all hope of escaping. Everyone has an event which changed them forever...this summer will either be Rowan's rebirth or his last stand. Once again, Witherow horrifies readers with the monsters among us.

I also recommend THE LAST TOWER by Witherow, a family drama set in a sci-fi post-apocalypse.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Denial Is A Killer

BIGFOOT: ALASKA by Eric S. Brown begins with a hunting party getting slaughtered by some mysterious beasts. A search party goes missing soon after, so a third group decides to enter the danger zone to figure out what happened to the others. With the help of a local Native guide and a lifetime resident, they soon find themselves fighting creatures they thought were just folklore.

I'm amazed Brown hasn't run out of death scenes, but the author continues to keep readers guessing as he proceeds to massacre his characters, page after page. We can only hope 2020 will not include these monsters.

I also recommend PIRANHA by Brown, which offers a new twist on a familiar threat.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Another Step, But In What Direction?

WHERE ARE YOU? by Stephen A North is a flash fiction piece is more prose about a moment than a story, although the description does say "Book 1."

I don't even recognize North's writing anymore. I feel I've been witnessing an author making a self-discovery journey through short stories for the past year or two.

I have no idea who his target audience is supposed to be.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Killer Loves A Dog

KUTTER by Jeff Strand has me wondering what kind of person I am, as I cared more about the dog than the women Charlie killed. Don't get me wrong, I think being a serial killer is horrible, but the guy takes such great care of Kutter, I began freaking out over the turn of events at the end of the story.

I'm not sure why so many readers consider this novella comical or dark humor. I don't think there's anything remotely funny about a guy finding his humanity through his experiences with a Boston Terrier. I can't believe I'm writing this, but Strand has mixed crime drama with psychological suspense to create a feel-good story about a murderer. W. T. F.

Please excuse me while I go hug my dog...

As always,
AstraDaemon

P.S. If you enjoy odd stories like this one, I also recommend SPECIMEN 313 by Strand.

Forget Adventure, Choose Your Own Death

FINAL SKY by Elias Witherow is unlike anything I've ever read before, even the author's previous work. The concept of a world held by a chain over a void is mind-boggling, not to mention the explosive Rockflesh disease which releases poisonous gas. I have no idea how the author creates such a complex dystopian fantasy with so much brutal detail, and I'm not sure I want to know. Witherow's imagination is quite frightening at times, and this story is no exception.

The action scenes are both thrilling and terrifying, but there is one scene in particular which requires a strong stomach. When Liam and Desmond finally meet, prepare yourself for a horror which makes Game of Thrones look tame. As if surviving Desmond's cruelty isn't enough of a challenge, Liam loses what is left of his mind when he discovers what is on the other end of The Chain. Witherow surpasses Lovecraft with the Old Horns.

If you are looking for something more earth-bound, I recommend THE THIRD PARENT, which used to be my favorite story by Witherow, until I read this novel.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Quarantined Inside Shaw's Head

PANDEMIC by Matt Shaw, "Horrors Written in Lockdown," is just that, terrifying scenarios based on real-life quarantine events. Beginning with some drabbles, the author kills off fans in several ways, as well as interjecting some dark humor.

GRETA is just messed up.

THE HOUSE GUESTS has a high creep factor.

DEATH RATTLE is depressing.

THE MORGUES WERE FULL is my favorite.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY is sinister.

THE LOCKDOWN KILLER caught me completely off guard. I'd forgotten just how vulgar and brutal Shaw's writing style can be. Not for readers who haven't read anything by Shaw yet. (I suggest trying Octopus first, to ease into his storytelling.)

I also recommend TAINTED SOULS, another Covid-19 creation co-authored by Shaw and Shaun Hutson.

As always,
AstraDaemon

A Cursed Purchase

LOT 113: BUDDHA STATUE IN LOTUS POSE by Samuel Brower is a terrifying horror story told in the style of Tales from the Darkside. Dale takes Lana to an auction to buy her a birthday present, and she wins a creepy looking Buddha statue. Soon they find themselves being attacked at night by an intruder who follows them from one apartment to another.

Luckily for Dale, he finds an unexpected ally who reveals the sinister history of the statue. Dale formulates a plan to save himself and Lana, but I'm not convinced the ending is truly final.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Fantastic Alien Creation!

INTO THE LIGHT by Eric S. Brown is such a great sci-fi apocalypse story, I wish the author had used the concept for a full-length novel, or, at the very least, a novella.The Dwellers seem like an unstoppable force, but I can't help but wonder *hinting for sequel* if Brown's Sasquatch would be able to fight off the aliens.

Brown really should consider a double creature feature, followed by a third installment, with Hugh somehow being the savior of the human race.

As always,
AstraDaemon

New Day, New Enemy

AFTER Z DAY by Eric S. Brown is another one of his zombie shorts with an unusual twist. In this case, the author has a Lovecraftian surprise for his group of survivors. Some of the characters believe if they can fight the undead, they can fight their new enemy, but others in the group have nothing left to give.

Between the dialogue and the action, readers are sure to feel the exhaustion and desperation of Sparks and his companions.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Dead Last

MARTIN KIER AND THE DEAD by Eric S. Brown begins with a great intro from Jonathan Moon (Children of God, Heinous), offering a little insight into this short story. Martin Kier, a genetically enhanced clone, offers the safety of his home to a group of survivors, while placing himself in harm's way.

This isn't really my cup of tea, as far as zombie stories go, but there is still a lot of entertaining action to be had.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Corruption Above and Below

HOW FRAGILE THE SOUL by Eric S. Brown is a post-apocalyptic story which begins with the typical undead horror and then descends into bloody madness. The author packs a novel's worth of action into this short, and keeps things moving at a fast pace by introducing a variety of characters, from the beginning to the very end. The epilogue is a shocker.

Definitely recommending this dark thriller to zombiephiles!

As always,
AstraDaemon

Down to the Bones

PIRANHA by Eric S. Brown takes place in North Carolina. A plane carrying a military experiment goes down in a river, and a nearby small town becomes the feeding ground for a new kind of predator. After a mutilated body washes ashore, during a rain storm, the townsfolk soon find themselves caught in a flash flood filled with deadly creatures.

This novella is very much like a SyFy movie, but with the savage brutality Brown regularly unleashes on his fans. The action is gruesome, and the suspense will eat away at you. This is not your dad's underwater nightmare...this is a new reason to fear the water.

Not only do I recommend this story, I also recommend THE CAVE by Eric S. Brown.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Dark and Disturbing

Four short stories with a wicked twist...

FACE: Beautiful Edan is ready for her date, but plans are scuppered by her embarrassing family.

SHROOM: It’s Miranda’s birthday and she should be happy. However, a trip to the forest with her mother, Clara, leaves Miranda struggling to stay alive.

NOWHERE TO RUN: Confined to a hospital bed, a vindictive old crone and a sour young girl are about to make one patient’s life a living nightmare.

THE NEW GUY: Darius Brown was happy in his work, but everything changed when the new guy started. Made to feel like the biggest loser, Darius dreams of punishing the man. But do those dreams become a deadly reality?

TWISTED 2 by Karen A. Foster is filled with the author's trademark dark drama and disturbing characters.

FACE reminded me a little of a Twilight Zone episode, with an unexpected ending.

SHROOM is somewhat dystopian, with a young girl slipping between two different lives.

NO WHERE TO RUN is my favorite story in this collection, about a life-changing decision.

THE NEW GUY is my second favorite story, with a wicked backlash.

Shroom is my least favorite of the four, but the last two alone are worth picking up this collection.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Hormonal Apocalypse

The night skies turned blood red as the largest asteroid, ever to pass the Earth, slipped between us and the Moon. Thousands of people flocked to the streets to see what was pushed by the press as a "once in a lifetime" occurrence. Some people hailed it as a sign for the End Of Days. Others simply partied the night away; celebrating the fact that mankind had barely survived being destroyed in the same way as the dinosaurs. The women though... Something else happened to the women...

It didn't matter where the women were in their cycle; that night they all inexplicably had their monthly at the exact same moment. But this wasn't just any period. As the bloods began to flow and their stomachs violently twisted and cramped, so did their tempers continue to rise and rise until their blood was boiling and they were unable to hold back their violent urges.

SHARK WEEK by Matt Shaw is vulgar and graphic, so, if you're easily offended, bugger off and read a self-help book or something along those lines. While absolutely shocking in some scenes, I found this story to be quite entertaining, and I think this novella needs to be made into a film. (The ultimate clap-back to hentai movies.)

The ending is a complete surprise. I thought aliens would take over after the women wiped the men off the face off the Earth, for some kind of breeding invasion, but Shaw takes his crimson tide of death into an unexpected direction.

The drabbles at the end are a humorous bonus.

As always,
AstraDaemon

An Eyeful

After reading Out of the Cave by MacKenzie Publishing, I couldn't wait to read another anthology from the same publisher.

TWO EYES OPEN is sixteen stories from a diverse group of authors:

RAGE by Amanda Crum: a ghost story which ends abruptly

SOUL CAKES by Chantal Boudreau: supernatural family drama

GLASS PUZZLE by Shelly Macaroy: twisted revenge

URSULA by L.S. Engler: hit a little close to home...my first name is Ursula and, well, I had a "Nick" in college

HOUSE CALL by S.D. Hintz: very disturbing dispute

THE FIRST SNOWFALL by Boyd Reynolds: brutal house hunting

SHOW COOKING - CANNIBAL EDITION by Kev Harrison: dark humor

EYES WIDE OPEN by S.T. Himmonds: historical fiction

OPENING YOUR EYES IS THE MOST PAINFUL THING YOU WILL EVER HAVE TO DO by Tom Johnstone: thought-provoking

NO JOB TOO SMALL by R.A. Goli: watch out for those craigslist ads

THE DYING by Leah O'Sullivan: a great twist on the zombie genre

THE BOATS by Robb T. White: hardcore revenge

PAYBACKS by Leslie Muzingo: one of my favorites

FEEDING STRAYS by Monique Yowza: reminds me of Tales from the Dark Side

WOMEN MUST STICK TOGETHER by Cassandra Williams: bizarre dispute with neighbors

SHEEP AND SNAKES by Billy Lyons: another favorite...solid way to end the anthology

If you're looking for something with variety, there are plenty of entertaining stories within. However, the theme of this anthology isn't as clear as OUT OF THE CAVE. As a result, this seems more like a random collection of shorts than anything else. I hope the publisher returns to whatever formula was used in choosing stories in the previous anthology.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Third Time's The Charm

Okay...so...this is the third time I've read Means To An End and The Stupid Train by Stephen A. North (have a look). To his credit, the author has reworked the two stories based on some harsh criticism from yours truly. I have to admit, MEANS TO AN END is much better this time around. I love how Vic didn't realize Mark came first, literally and figuratively.

My issue with THE STUPID TRAIN was always the ending. I always felt Lou deserved better. Not necessarily a happy ending exactly, just something better. I dig the new ending, and I wouldn't say no to another Lou story. Maybe he should meet Tammy? (I would definitely pay to read that encounter.)

FORGOTTEN and NOBODY'S HERO are North's most recent short stories. FORGOTTEN caught me off guard: nothing supernatural. Yet, somehow, the story kept me enthralled from beginning to end. The author has always had a flair for well-developed characters and settings.

NOBODY'S HERO also has a sharp hook with a surprise ending. As much as I enjoy North's horror and sci-fi, his drama has really impressed me this round.

Stephen A. North is one of the few authors who can create something captivating in multiple genres.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Into The Abyss

RETURN TO THE BLACK FARM by Elias Witherow is more character driven than the first book. Nick is threatened by one of the powers-that-be to put things right at The Farm, so he must take his life a second time. Many characters from Nick's previous visit to The Farm cross paths with him again, and no one seems happy to see him. Many want him dead. Essentially, everything which draws breath wants to make Nick suffer and die.

In order to complete his task, and save his loved ones, Nick must join forces with Danny. The enigmatic Suicidal coordinator proves to be a much more complex personality, and I would love a third installment focused solely on The Pig's spokesman. I'd like to think Danny is the key to reforming The Black Farm for Suicidals, as well as the Pig Born.

For some reason, the ending didn't surprise me. I'm good with the way Nick's storyline worked out, but I really don't want the series to end with him. Danny deserves his own book, after everything he went through with Nick.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Kill Or Be Killed...Or Eaten

THE BLACK FARM by Elias Witherow has all the great elements of horror: psychological, gore-filled, cannibalistic, supernatural, monstrous...all oozing with suspense. I've enjoyed everything the author has written, and I was sure Tommy Taffy would be his most terrifying legacy, but Witherow has stared into the abyss, fashioned it into The Pig and given readers a fresh new Hell to fear.

In this creation, Suicidals go to The Barn and must decide if they will Feed The Pig or attempt to survive the abominations populating The Farm. Unlike the others before him, Nick refuses to accept his situation and battles to find Jess, his lost love. The inner voice taunting and tormenting him is almost as entertaining as the agonizing misery he must endure on the island of the damned.

While I am very impressed with the variety of monsters Witherow has released upon his readers in this novel, my favorite part is Nick screwing around with a new arrival. (Do yourself a favor and read The Worst Kind of Monsters, if you haven't already.) I can't wait to read the sequel!

As always,
AstraDaemon

Flash Fiction Fight

In the blink of eye, the city of New York was thrown into a battle for survival and it was every man and woman for themselves.

YEAR OF THE DEAD by Eric S. Brown is a flash fiction story about a guy who finds himself in the middle of a zombie outbreak on New Year's Eve. The author provides a lot of action in a just a few pages, but the ending left me wanting more.

As always,
AstraDaemon