Death Run | Short Story Review | AstraDaemon

THROTTLE by Joe Hill and Stephen King is a thrilling short about bikers being run down by a semi truck. The bikers are returning from the scene of a brutal murder, and they are divided on what their next move will be.

As they continue on their journey, a familiar truck begins eliminating their numbers. As they struggle to stay ahead of certain death, father and son must overcome their differences to help one another.

Towards the end, the father discovers the reason the trucker went on his rampage, which leads to a final confrontation with his son.

Great action story.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Family Time | Horror Review

IN THE TALL GRASS by Stephen King and Joe Hill is a mix of horror, science fiction and supernatural suspense. There's a moment where I had a flashback to The Tommyknockers. The grass field itself made me think of the fairy circles which trap unsuspecting travelers. While the setup is a bit slow, establishing the bond between brother and sister emphasizes their fear of being separated.

The story is intense, and has a few scenes which might qualify this novella as extreme horror. I don't think this tale measures up to 1980s Stephen King stories (I have no point of reference for Joe Hill's work), but I'm recommending it anyway.

If you enjoy this, you should also check out MILE 81.

As always,

AstraDaemon

All Things Serve The Tower | Horror Review

UR by Stephen King seemed rather dry at first, with Wesley coming off as a literary snob with lousy social skills. He discovers the unusual features of his pink Kindle, and yet fails to fully appreciate what he possesses. Luckily, he shares his new device with two others, if only to figure out if he's lost his mind or not.

Once the three begin investigating the UR within the Kindle together, the story becomes quite alarming. The descriptions of the characters' shocked reactions are anxiety-inducing. While I suspected where Wesley would go with his experimenting, the details are the gut-wrenching torments which Stephen King uses to lure readers into the horror genre, enslaving us to our masochistic cravings for more.

If you're already a Stephen King fan, you're going to lose your mind over the ending.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Halloween Reading: Highway to Hell Week | Payback x2 | AstraDaemon

BIG DRIVER by Stephen King, originally published in Full Dark, No Stars, and was made into a Lifetime movie. (Let that sink in for a minute...) I've watched the movie, but I didn't read the written story until very recently. Of course, the book is better than the movie.

An author is on her way home after a signing event, and takes a recommended detour home. Only a few miles from her turn-off, she unknowingly runs over debris in the road, and must pull over due to an instant flat tire. Soon after, a giant of a man arrives, offering to help, but rapes her repeatedly instead.

King is kind enough not to include graphic details of the violence, and he's smart enough not to try and pawn this off as a "rape makes the victim stronger" scenario. Tess, lucky to have survived, is simply trying to figure out how to process the attack. Eventually she decides, in order to give life to her new persona, a sacrifice must be made.

There is also a bonus story, FAIR EXTENSION. A man dying of cancer makes a deal with a man selling extensions on the side of a road. Reminded me a bit of King's story Thinner, released under the name Richard Bachman. Only Streeter is a far more horrific character.

As always,

AstraDaemon

P.S. Don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win the autographed five-book series.

Halloween Reading: Wolf Week | Werewolf For Kids | AstraDaemon

CYCLE OF THE WEREWOLF by Stephen King is better known by some as Silver Bullet, but there is a huge difference between the movie and the novella, and I encourage horror fans to read the written story.

However, while this is not a terrible werewolf tale, this is not an example of King's best work -- not even close. If you're expecting something on the level of The Mist or The Raft, you'll be disappointed. This is more YA fiction than anything...King-lite for kids.

I recommend The Sun Dog for a more frightening canine.

As always,

AstraDaemon

P.S. Don't forget to leave a comment to enter the giveaway for this week's PERSONALIZED autographed paperback.

King's Kids

CHILDREN OF THE CORN by Stephen King is one I have no memory of reading before now. I didn't think much of the movie, so I never bothered with the story. I couldn't understand what people found so frightening about this short, and I still don't.

While a boy with a slit throat in the road is terribly disturbing, and a deserted town is creepy, there's just not much more to this story than the husband and wife fighting with each other. I don't even care what happens to them.

Instead, I recommend MILE 81, written by King within this decade and borrowing some themes from his older stories.

As always,
AstraDaemon

A New Metal Monster

MILE 81 by Stephen King is a novella I haven't read before, and I must admit, I have been reluctant to read anything King has written after THE GIRL WHO LOVED TOM GORDON. I am so glad I gave this story a chance because this is one of my new King favorites.

King appears to have channeled several of his older stories for this one: Christine, Trucks and The Raft. Even with all the horror elements, this is more or less Pete Simmons' coming-of-age story. All he wants is a cool adventure to share with his older brother and his bicycle gang, but he soon finds himself in a supernatural battle for survival.

The author torments readers further by including a horse as well as three children...kids and a defenseless animal? Nothing scares the crap out of me more than placing innocent lives within the grasp of a monster. I really wish King would stick with this style of storytelling.

As much as I enjoy the rest area nightmare, my favorite King story is still THE EYES OF THE DRAGON, and I highly recommend both to all readers.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Move Aside, Cujo

THE SUN DOG by Stephen King (originally published in FOUR PAST MIDNIGHT) has all the elements which made me fall in love with the horror genre as a kid, as well as make me a fan of the author's older work: a supernatural entity, terrifying suspense, and characters trapped in a deadly situation.

In this case, King offers up a demonic Polaroid camera featuring a malevolent dog, given to a kid who begins dreaming of the world within the photos, while a rotten old man complicates everything with his greed. Luckily (and contrary to most horror scenarios), Kevin's dad believes what his son tells him, and endeavors to help him rectify the nightmare brought about by the cursed birthday gift.

Not only did I read this story in one sitting, but my teen tried to talk to me at one point, causing me to jump about a foot off the couch because King's story had me so wound up. The ending is what you would expect from the legend, and I recommend this one to all horror fans.

However, after reading this one, I'd ask you to check out all the great indie authors featured here at the Lair...the might not have King's notoriety, but many of them could give the old master a run for his money.

As always,
AstraDaemon

A Dangerous Trip to the Store

THE MIST is my favorite short story by Stephen King. I first read it as part of SKELETON CREW (1985). I remember thinking, "It's the perfect length for a movie, without leaving out any details," since movies based on King stories are rarely as good as the books. (However, the movie has a much more brutal ending, in my opinion.) To this day, I'm not quite sure why I love this story so much...maybe the contrast of monsters: the ones outside and the ones inside. If you're a horror fan, you're probably familiar with this story, but, just in case...

Following a monster of a thunderstorm, a mysterious mist spreads across a small town in Maine. People who were shopping at the local grocery store soon realize they need to stay inside. Eventually, the survivors find out about a military experiment called "The Arrowhead Project," which is believed to have brought numerous leviathan creatures into existence.

Of course, the nightmare doesn't truly kick off until the town's religious fanatic forms her own cult within the store, and the people who still have fully-functioning brains realize they need to get the hell out of there, regardless of what is hiding within the mist.

Even if you watched the movie, I'm still recommending this novella. Readers will be able to get to know the main characters on a very personal level, in a way the film could not provide.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Flagg's First Appearance

Pretty sure everyone in the horror community is already familiar with Stephen King, either through his books or movies...and there are so many great stories from indie authors and small presses...I usually avoid reviewing authors who are world famous. However, I felt I should review at least one story from King, so I chose my favorite novel by the author.

THE EYES OF THE DRAGON by Stephen King is so incredibly different from the majority of his stories set in New England. This novel is largely fantasy-based, complete with an evil wizard by the name of Flagg (yes, THAT Flagg) in a medieval setting. In fact, many King fans are still unaware of this novel, even though a lot of material for the Dark Tower series originates from this storyline, as you will soon realize.

A mysterious narrator shares the tale of Delain, a kingdom thrown into dark years when King Roland is poisoned, and his eldest son Peter is accused of the murder. Of course, throughout Delain's downfall, the magician Flagg is behind the many deaths and increasing turmoil. Eventually the narrator reveals Flagg has been destroying kingdoms for centuries. (Any of this sounding familiar yet?)

While most of the book is devoted to Peter and his punishment resulting from Flagg's treachery, as well as the suffering of anyone who remains loyal to Peter, Roland's second son, Thomas, plays a pivotal role in more ways than one. When Flagg attempts to play one brother against the other, readers will soon realize there are some things a demon may never understand.

One of the best aspects of this novel is the way the personal relationships between characters are woven together. Even though they are tested and frayed, those relationships hold strong, and prove to be more powerful than any dark magic. There are many things to love about this novel, and, to this day, The Mist is the only King story I love nearly as much. Last I heard, Hulu is going to make a series based on this book.

This is the one Stephen King novel I can recommend to all readers ages 12 and up.

As always,
AstraDaemon

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EMMALINE LAVENDER FIELDS has been chosen as the winner of the Lair's last giveaway. Hope everyone enjoyed the reviews and interviews about monsters this month! November will be returning to a mix of genres...