September Shorts: Day 2

It was supposed to be a fun trip in which the author could meet some of his readers but when he travels to their country, he soon learns their reasons for coming to meet him aren't quite as how he had imagined it...

MEET: HE CAME, THEY ATE by Matt Shaw isn't his best work. The action doesn't even begin until the story is halfway over. The characters lack any kind of depth.

Here's the thing, my favorite Shaw stories include amazing storylines, creative violence and bizarre characters. This didn't have any of that.

If you're new to Shaw I recommend his stories that take place in or around water. He's really in his element then.

As always,

AstraDaemon

30 Days of Creature Features: DOLPHIN

DOLPHIN by Matt Shaw needed to be written; I am so tired of everyone glossing over the dark side of dolphins. I'm not sure I would call this comedy horror, as I found the gory events quite serious. If you have a weak stomach, it's best to stay away from this one...unless you live near a beach. Then, read it as a cautionary tale.

If you decide to dive into this story, make sure to read the entire novella. The ending is a complete shocker.

I would love to see Shaw write about otters next.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Emotionally Devastating | Horror Review | AstraDaemon

THE THINGS HE HEARD by Matt Shaw is tragic and horrifying because of the realism. It doesn't take a stretch of imagination to envision this type of violence behind closed doors or in the classroom.

The most disturbing aspect is the way the boy's thoughts and feelings are completely disregarded. The emotional aspect is similar to IMMORTAL SHADOWS and THE SUICIDE CLUB.

I recommend all three.

As always,

AstraDaemon

New Addiction | Horror Story Review | AstraDaemon

THE DREAMS THEY WEAVE by Matt Shaw is my new favorite from this author. This is an excellent mix of science fiction and horror...a great example of why I continue to be a fan: suspenseful setting, intriguing characters, and intense format.

I would love to see this become a film, instead of the regurgitated garbage Hollywood spews out. I highly recommend this to all horror fans who have been searching for a new monster to fear.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Not Like Old Shaw | Short Story Review | AstraDaemon

THE DOOR TO EVERYWHERE by Matt Shaw held my attention from beginning to end, but I'm not impressed in any way. No character development, no real action...jarring ending without resolution. Not really horror, and pretty bland compared to what the author usually writes.

Shaw's recent stories are not nearly as entertaining as his creations from previous years. I hope he's not burning out. I miss his cosmic horror filled with supernatural creatures.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Dark Humor | Novella Review | AstraDaemon

LOCH NESS by Matt Shaw is more dark humor than horror. Entertaining and full of cheeky characters, but not what I was hoping for.

The author raised the bar pretty damn high with BELOW DECK, and I haven't been fully satisfied with Shaw since then.

I still enjoy his writing, and I recommend this one to his fans, who will appreciate the details the most.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Pass On This | Horror Review | AstraDaemon

HER NAME WAS AMBER by Matt Shaw begins with a note about domestic violence, which serves as an appropriate content warning. Seems ridiculous some readers need to be reminded this is a work of fiction and the characters are a creation of the author, not a reflection, but...at least they were warned.

While I'm not crazy about the back and forth on the timeline, Shaw does label the transitions, edging his readers on with his teasing writing style. Unfortunately, there's zero character development, which is something I look forward to with this author. Not sure what I expected him to do with the narrator, but the "nice guy" revenge persona is just a disgusting as Amber and her BS.

Shaw is usually much more creative than this...instead of this story, I recommend FROM THE FLAMES or BELOW DECK.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Cheeky Creature Feature | Horror Novella Review

BUNNY KONG by Matt Shaw is a cheeky creature feature based on a story told to the author as a child, with characters loosely based on Shaw's family. This novella is mostly character-driven, with good, clean terror, and a touch of dark humor. Proof of the author's talent for conjuring a captivating story from the most basic horror ingredients, without involving any bodily fluids besides blood.

This is one of Shaw's books I can recommend to all readers, unless you have leporiphobia...

As always,

AstraDaemon

Annnd They're Gone! | Horror Review

BETWEEN DEAD TREES by Matt Shaw functions as a stand-alone, but readers will appreciate the characters and events more if they read INTO THE WOODS first.

I love the way the author divided up the story...increased the suspense tenfold. Once again, Shaw takes the time to give readers a reason to care about the characters before he yeets them off into hell.

I hope there's a third one because I'd really like to know the name of the entity.

As always,

AstraDaemon

No One Gets Delivered | Horror Review

INTO THE WOODS by Matt Shaw is a great example of how the author connects readers to his characters, so they experience the terror rather than simply reading about the pain and suffering. Many extreme horror authors just slap gore and violence on the pages and call it a story, but Shaw puts real effort into humanizing the inhuman acts.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Baby Step | Horror Review | AstraDaemon

THE LAST CALL HOME by Matt Shaw should not be read by anyone home alone at night. While this is not nearly as shocking and gore-filled as most of his other stories, the likelihood of this happening in real life is too damn high for comfort. I'm just glad my dog is more reactive than Dexter.

The ending is nothing close to anything I imagined. I thought maybe Ben went off the rails, or Jim had some kind of personality disorder. I also couldn't help but wonder why they never changed the bloody locks.

This may not be a favorite with Shaw's extreme fans, but this is a great starter for tourists to the horror genre...if you like the author's writing style, you should read Octopus afterwards.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Falling | Horror Review | AstraDaemon

IMMORTAL SHADOWS by Matt Shaw almost made me cry. At first, I thought this would simply be a story about a patient who sees some terrifying apparitions in a hospital, perhaps fight a demonic force during recovery. No such luck.

I arrogantly thought I had guessed correctly what had happened to the main character, until the horrific reveal towards the end. Shaw leads readers to the metaphorical elevator, letting them think they know where it will take them, and, once the doors open as expected, promptly shoves them down the dark shaft.

Much like THE SUICIDE CLUB, Matt Shaw has blended real-life fears with thought-provoking terror to create a ghost story readers won't soon forget.

As always,

AstraDaemon

The Last Lie | Horror Review | AstraDaemon

THE CALL by Matt Shaw is based on his film of the same name, not the other way around. This is definitely extreme horror...I thought I could handle the story, since it's not one of the author's black-cover books, but I struggled.

While Shaw has the class not to go into graphic detail with certain scenes of violence, the author has a unique way of showing without telling by using the reactions of his characters and describing the bits and pieces which capture their attention. In this way, Jaime Lee's POV is just as horrifying as, if not more than, the torture visited upon the others dragged into her bad decision.

Not only are the death scenes shocking, but the explanation of how one is prepared to inflict that level of pain and suffering is a gruesome process. In this way, Shaw illustrates how one selfish decision can change the lives of many, and drives his message home like hammer to the head.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Guess Again | Horror Review | AstraDaemon

PIECES by Matt Shaw is not necessarily extreme, just sexually graphic in a few places. In fact, I would describe this as more mystery-thriller than anything else, and the author does a great job of mixing crime-drama and suspense into a traumatic rollercoaster for both readers and the main character.

Not only does the story flash back and forth in time, offering some insight into Billy's way of thinking, but the POV also offers a glimpse into the thoughts of those who know Billy. I'm not a fan of jumping around on a timeline, but Shaw's transitions are easy to follow, while keeping the ending unpredictable.

If I had to compare this to any of his previous stories, I'd choose FROM THE FLAMES. The two have similar writing styles. Definitely recommending this novella.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Shaw-Lite | Horror Review | AstraDaemon

Over the last few months a series of earthquakes have been rumbling from deep within the trench. Curious to know why, and the impact they are having, a team of scientists start an expensive expedition down into the depths. Funded by a billionaire - who is going along for the ride in his specially designed submarine - the team head beneath the ocean's choppy waves with the world watching.

Little do they know that 7 miles beneath the ocean's surface, their nightmares await and their world will never be the same again.

THE MARIANA TRENCH by Matt Shaw is not nearly as shocking or graphic as his other stories, such as FROM THE FLAMES or OCTOPUS. This story is more of a creature feature, and this author usually does better with people being the monsters. However, the ending gave me legit nightmares. (For context, OCTOPUS 3 is the last Shaw story which traumatized me.)

There are references to his other novella, BELOW DECK, which is far more entertaining and horrific, in my opinion.Maybe I would feel differently, if I had read this one first. In any case, I'd love to see more stories surrounding the major event in this novella.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Demonic Delicacy | Horror Review | AstraDaemon

It costs more than some people's houses to charter one of these super yachts. The guests expect nothing but the best: The best service, the best food, the best excursions and the best time. They expect the trip of a life-time and Captain Lee and his team will do anything they can to ensure they get it too.

When the guests leave, they do so with a big smile on their faces and a promise that - one day - they will return and charter the yacht again. Better yet, they leave a big tip for the captain and his team... At no stage do they realise that, for most of the meals they've been eating, they have been feasting upon the crew's favourite snack, human meat...

BELOW DECK: HELL OR HIGH WATER by Matt Shaw is my new favorite by this author. Instead of the cannibals being the typical inbred mutants with non-existent IQs, the crew are rather cunning about their new business venture. Switching back and forth on the timeline, past events are served up much like the meat: a piece at a time. This creates a fantastic build-up of suspense, leading to an extremely sinister dilemma amongst the crew.

I didn't know where Shaw would take this yacht of blood, and the ending is shocking, to say the least. I'm fine with this story as a stand-alone, but I would definitely enjoy a sequel...the characters are right up there with Shaw's werewolves, as far as his bad guys go.

Recommending this one to all horror fans!

As always,

AstraDaemon

Loophole | AstraDaemon

THE SUICIDE CLUB: YOU ARE NOT ALONE by Matt Shaw is a novella I had to approach with caution because of my own suicide attempt (over 20 years ago), but I can assure you the author did not act irresponsibly with his handling of this subject.

I love THE SUICIDE CLUB, particularly the scene with the chainsaw, but I think SKELETONS, the built-in sequel, is one of the best stories Shaw has ever written. Chris Hall is now one of my favorite anti-heroes.

Matt Shaw has done a brilliant job of mixing horror with the subjects of depression and suicide, and provided both an entertaining and thought-provoking punch-in-the-face to his readers, a lying twat whose name rhymes with Lamber Turd, quarantine hotels, and, of course, Death. Well done.

I'm recommending this one to all readers and adding this title to my BEST FICTION 2021 list.

As always,

AstraDaemon

---

For anyone wondering: twenty-three years and one month ago (April 1998), I swallowed an obscene amount of sleeping pills. I changed my mind soon after, and went to the emergency room. Since I was still awake, they told me to swallow a tube of liquid charcoal and keep it down or I would have to get my stomach pumped. The staff in the ER were all people I had worked with on various fundraisers, so the situation was extremely upsetting and shocking for everyone involved.

I had everything going for me at that point in time, such as graduating from college (paying my own tuition, mind you). However, I had gone through my own personal crucible (abuse, divorce, etc.) to reach that point in my life. For context, growing up, I had many people (including "family") tell me I wouldn't amount to anything. Nothing motivates me more than proving someone wrong...but the process was physically, mentally and emotionally exhausting. I was 23, and I didn't think I had anything left to give the rest of my life, so I took the pills.

What changed my mind? First of all, I didn't really want to die, I just wanted to sleep and not have to do anything ever again. I felt as if I had to fight one way or another to get from one day to the next, and I didn't want to anymore. Everything was always the hard way, and I wanted the easy way just once.

My only other reason: someone very close to me stopped by just to say "I love you." In that moment, when I realized someone did indeed have my back, I decided I wasn't ready to give up after all. So, please, let the people in your life know they matter to you because you never know what could be going through their minds.

Did my life turn out the way I planned? Hell, no. Did I have to deal with an absurd amount of crap over the years to follow? Hell, yes. While I wouldn't want to have to relive certain years of my life, I'm happy with who I am and the blessings I have now (ex: I'm the mother of a wonderful person who has already brought a lot of joy and kindness to many others).

For those who can't be bothered with the math, I'm 46 now. I'm more than ready for the next twenty-three years...

Don't give up,

Ursula K Raphael

Purgatory-Horror | AstraDaemon

FROM THE FLAMES by Matt Shaw is absolutely brilliant. Everything from the presentation to the variety of characters is well-written. He has taken common themes such as amnesia, a backwoods family, and more (no spoilers), and blended them together so flawlessly, I believe Shaw has created his own sub-genre of purgatory-horror with this novella.

Despite having read dozens of stories by this author, I still had no idea where he would take his readers with this one. This is what I enjoy most about Shaw's storytelling: he always finds a way to surprise his fans. I never know what bodily fluid will be spewed across the pages, or what kind of mental trauma I'll experience while reading his work.

This is defiinitely my new favorite Shaw story, and I'm hoping the ending means there will be a sequel about life (and death) behind the wall.

As always,

AstraDaemon

For Fans Only | AstraDaemon

OCTOPUS 3 by Matt Shaw is the most brutal installment of the series. "We all go mad" is a severe understatement. I'm pretty sure I maintained a full-body cringe from beginning to end...some of the action scenes took me so far out of my comfort zone, I felt physically ill. I thought, having read the first two books of the trilogy, I would be okay, but this one gave me night terrors.

The thing is, this is not just some extreme violence slopped together with gore to attract readers the sleazy way. Shaw still maintains his storytelling expertise by weaving together the threads of insane personal interactions to create the ultimate welcome banner for the Great Old One.

Reading Matt Shaw is like getting a tattoo: hurts like hell, but I'm pleased with the results, and I can't deny how good the adrenaline rush feels...and, like an addict, I keep coming back for another round. I'm just not sure how I'm going to make it through the next one.

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