Sunday With Scribner: Primed

WHAT I BECAME by Joshua Scribner centers on a man, sharing the horrors of his life, growing up as an orphan within the foster system. There is a noticeable pattern of murder and suicide, wherever he finds himself. At first, he believes the deaths are just what he can expect from his deplorable experiences, but, as he approaches adulthood, he realizes there is something metaphysical at work.

The end of the story wraps up with explanations of why things happened the way they did, giving the perfect excuse for the destructive path the man chooses. However, I can't help but wonder, what if it was all in his head?

As always,
AstraDaemon

Sunday With Scribner: The Plot Thickens

Nancy has never appealed to the opposite sex. But after a visit from a magic woman, men will give up everything to have Nancy for a little while. No wonder she is not a willing patient for Doctor Wolfstone. And while the doctor deals with the powerful demon inside her, an old nemesis is on the way to destroy him.

WHATEVER HE DESIRES by Joshua Scribner is the most recent installment in the Doctor Wolfstone's Clinic series. I highly recommend reading the other stories in this series, before you bother to read this review. This does not necessarily have any spoilers, but the stories do connect to one another on some level.

This time, the story makes several references to past episodes in this series. Also, the horror within is more like dark erotica, similar to a succubus. Unlike previous patients, Nancy is very aware of what has been happening to her. In fact, she invited the demon into her for the benefit. Even the nature of the hypnosis sessions are different from previous stories.

Last but not least, Egret's background is revealed. By now readers are aware of both Wolfstone's past and his nemesis, which leads me to believe there will be a huge battle coming soon. I can't wait to see how Scribner wraps up this series.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Sunday With Scribner: The Doctor Is In

His patient is an unwilling participant. The bound man likes the demon inside him and the ravenous appetite it brings. On top of this, the demon knows things about the doctor and will take the fight to a personal level.

BINARY MONSTER by Joshua Scribner is another installment in the Doctor Wolfstone's Clinic series. If you haven't read any of the past stories in this series, stop reading this review. Each story builds slightly upon the previous episode. Readers will enjoy Doctor Wolfstone's work more, if they are familiar with his practice.

Anyone who is a fan of the Doctor's sessions will know the demons usually try to get at him. The confrontation in this one is one of the very best. I'm also thrilled to finally read more about Wolfstone's personal background. Basically, this is the installment I've been waiting for, and I am not disappointed. The ending is a cliffhanger, but a welcome piece of the puzzle.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Connecting The Dots

Doctor Wolfstone’s client seems harmless enough. She’s a librarian by occupation and rather plain in appearance. But what’s in her is not so plain, and it’s not harmless. Worst of all, it likes to come out once a year and hunt its prey.

Sinister Seductress by Joshua Scribner is lengthier than the previous installments of Doctor Wolfstone's Clinic, and more is revealed about the entity troubling his current patient. However, the author still keeps the doctor shrouded in mystery. There is also a noticeable pattern of each story building on the previous one, so the stories do need to be read in a certain order.

I recommend reading each installment based on the date of publication: Unnamed Water Demon, Night Whispers, Hungry and this one. Normally, I love Scribner's in-the-moment style of writing, but that only works for flash fiction. If the author is moving into a mini-series or simply writing longer stories, there needs to be more character development.

For this series to reach its full potential, readers deserve to know more about the doctor.

As always,
AstraDaemon