Dream A Little Dream | AstraDaemon

BAKER: DEMONS AND OTHER NIGHT THINGS by Terry M. West includes the previous four installments, as well as an additional short titled THE DARK ALP, which is my new favorite Baker story. The author mixes folklore and metaphysics for a unique horror twist.

Even if you already have the other stories, I still recommend getting this collection.

As always,

AstraDaemon

When Worlds Collide | AstraDaemon

Baker Johnson is a psychical researcher, demonologist and exorcist living in 1930s New York City. Brilliant but deeply flawed, Baker has an otherworldly perception that allows him to read people with but a glance. In "Things the Dark has Always Held", Baker is approached by a dangerous mobster known as Johnny Stücke. Baker's black room, a place where haunted items are cataloged and kept, holds an ancient item that Stücke is determined to possess. Baker is introduced to the secret society known as the Night Things. And he may be the only thing standing between the world of man and the most dangerous threat it has ever known.

THINGS THE DARK HAS ALWAYS HELD by Terry M. West features a return character from SERVANT OF THE RED QUILL, followed by more than one revelation. This is definitely my favorite installment in the series, and I'm now looking forward to reading the Magic Now series.

If you're a fan of Terry M. West, and you enjoy crossovers, make sure you read this one!

As always,

AstraDaemon

Lovecraft Is A Jerk | AstraDaemon

Baker is summoned to Providence by dying author of the macabre, H.P. Lovecraft. Lovecraft makes a confession that threatens Baker's life and sanity.

DARK DREAMS AND WEIRD TALES by Terry M. West is perfectly horrific, but you don't have to be a fan of Lovecraft to appreciate his appearance in this story. Up to this point in the series, Baker seemed somewhat closed-off, but his deep terror of the curse visited upon him has certainly changed my view of him.

I enjoyed this tale far more than the previous two installments.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Better Than The First | AstraDaemon

The year is 1927. The place is New York city. Baker Johnson is reluctantly pulled into a case involving a troubled family in Yonkers. Jeremiah Simms, a wealthy collector of haunted objects, has acquired a rare tome penned by the infamous Marquis de Sade. Titled Servant of the Red Quill, this cursed book unleashes an evil spirit that threatens to destroy the Simms family. Baker must face a cunning and powerful demon to save the innocent. But the deadliest demons of this battle lie within Baker.

SERVANT OF THE RED QUILL by Terry M. West picks up a couple of years after the first installment. In my experience, if you've read one possession story, you've read them all, but the author sets this story apart from the others with an intriguing dynamic between the characters. The ending did not disappoint either.

As always,

AstraDaemon

And So It Begins... | AstraDaemon

Baker Johnson is a flawed parapsychologist in the year 1925. After the death of Richard Johnson, Baker inherits his uncle's estate and moves into the legendary psychical researcher's home. But he soon discovers that the Black Room of the property, the place where haunted items are safely contained, has been emptied.

THE GIVING OF THINGS COLD & CURSED by Terry M. West introduces readers to Baker, who eventually becomes a part of the Magic Now universe. While there does not appear to be much to the story, this does lay the foundation for the series.

I do recommend this story, but it might be more practical just to buy a copy of BAKER: DEMONS AND OTHER NIGHT THINGS, which includes this story as well as others.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Nature Is Scary | AstraDaemon

Tommy Summers is an aspiring author in Lake Worth, Texas. As he searches for inspiration one snowy winter morning, Stan Whitley, a neighbor and ill-tempered hermit, pounds desperately at Tommy's door. It seems that Stan has caught something very peculiar in a bear trap, and before Tommy knows it, he is dealing with a demonic creature of legend!

THE HERMIT'S CREEPY PET by Terry M. West is a great short story and a perfect example of the author's dark humor. The creature is one I haven't heard of before, so I googled it, and apparently this is a well-known cryptid. The ending is fantastic, but I can't help wondering if West might be confessing to something...

I also recommend THE DEVIL'S LIST by Terry M. West.

As always,

AstraDaemon

House Call in Hell | AstraDaemon

THE PLUMBERS by Terry M. West is not what I would consider dark comedy by any means. Liam and Pierce joke around with each other, but their humor emphasizes the seriousness of their relationship. Not only are they friends as well as co-workers, but they come across as brothers too. Their humor also appears to be a coping mechanism for the hell they are living and working in, which highlights how differently the other characters are handling the deadly circumstances.

This is a very personal outbreak story, with a focus on living rather than surviving, even though the plumbers have an insanely close call during work hours. The Crud is obviously far worse than our current pandemic, and yet extremely relevant. As the saying goes, we are in the same storm, but not the same ship, and West illustrates that perfectly with this novella.

I'm recommending this one to all readers, not just horror fans.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Survivors or Terrorists?

THE HIM DEEP DOWN by Chad Lutzke and Terry M. West begins with one of the most horrifying sentences I've ever read, only to have the story grow darker with every page. I don't know what I expected, but it sure as hell wasn't the wicked twist, crack and crunch.

This is less about the undead and more about the horrible things people do in the name of survival. Well-written and filled with gore.

As always,
AstraDaemon

They Ph*ck You At The Drive-Thru

MIDNIGHT SNACK by Terry M. West has a bit of long setup, but the backstory is necessary to draw readers into Calvin's state of mind. As soon as he meets Inocente, I knew West had something twisted planned for his readers.

Apparently, this is a revised version, and, after reading the notes at the end, I am very glad West made the changes. I love the ending!

As always,
AstraDaemon

The Evil Eye

THE DEVIL'S LIST by Terry M. West is a dark supernatural thriller about a young man with a demon inside of him. The author blends folklore with horror to draw readers into a sinister circle of death. The ending deserves a standing ovation. (I listened to Ghostemane's album, Plagues, while reading this, and the music fit perfectly with Chuck's evolution.)

I also recommend TRANSFER, another great story by West, which is sure to mess with your mind.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Eye of the Beholder

It’s 1987. Dane Morrison, a middle-aged ad agency sales rep, meets an enigmatic street rose salesman during a hot summer in Houston, Texas. As Dane learns more about the Rose Man, Dane’s dreams and reality become a hellish playground for the unearthly vagabond. And as Dane soon discovers, where love and hope are found, the Rose Man walks...

THE ROSE MAN by Terry M. West is a supernatural short about a man who should've kept his mouth shut. Dane buys a rose from a homeless man on the way home, and thinks nothing more about it, until one of his co-workers is found dead with a rose bouquet. He is warned by the Rose Man to keep his observations to himself, but Dane slips up and share his thoughts with his wife.

There's a saying, “When the devil offers you a rose, its petals are laced with poison,” which seems to sum up this story perfectly. Considering the story began with a kind gesture, the ending will leave you all choked up.

As always,
AstraDaemon

The Screamer

TRANSFER by Terry M. West is frightening...The Slender Man and Sinister mixed together to form one hell of a creepypasta...think curses which are passed along to people who should know better. When a strange video clip keeps showing up in their files, Howie and Nick should've shown more caution, but their fascination with the sick images soon becomes a deadly addiction.

This is the best West story I've read so far (another favorite is PUT ON A HAPPY FACE), and, even though it was released in December 2019, I'm putting this novella on my Top 2020 list.

Green used to be my favorite color, but I'm not so sure now...

As always,
AstraDaemon

Reveal Thy Self

Susie Monroe hides in an old house with her brother, Billy. Billy is a shadow man who wears many faces. But none of them are his.

PUT ON A HAPPY FACE by Terry M. West is a chilling short story, featuring a very creative twist on a popular sub-genre. (Trying to avoid spoilers.) The horror within is low-key, yet extremely sinister. However, the bond between Susie and her big brother Billy is touching, nonetheless. With the exception of one scene, events are retold through Susie's POV, which creates the perfect build-up of suspense.

As always,
AstraDaemon