Growing Within | Book Review | AstraDaemon

Evil is invisible, and it is everywhere.

That is the only way to explain the series of misfortunes that have plagued the wagon train known as the Donner Party. They cannot seem to escape tragedy...or the feelings that someone--or something--is stalking them...the ninety men, women, and children of the Donner Party are heading into one of one of the deadliest and most disastrous Western adventures in American history.

As members of the group begin to disappear, the survivors start to wonder if there really is something disturbing, and hungry, waiting for them in the mountains...and whether the evil that has unfolded around them may have in fact been growing within them all along.

THE HUNGER by Alma Katsu was suggested by a good friend (and fellow horror fan), and I am so very glad I read this novel. The author blends historical fiction with folklore, horror and family drama, resulting in a very believable retelling of the Donner Party demise. I love the inclusion of issues such as racism, misogyny, and bigotry towards homosexuality, making the characters more relatable, despite the time period.

Most of all, I am impressed by the science behind the evil, rather than resorting to another twist on the Wendigo trope. My friend pointed out the similarity to the movie Ravenous, and I agree, although the suspense in this story is far more spectacular than any film with this theme.

I highly recommend this novel.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Outbreak Finale: Invitation Revoked

Follow Wilder and Butsko in the third chapter of the Outbreak series as they continue to fight the ever-evolving zombies while attempting to save humanity. The remaining humans thought they saw the worst the zombies had to offer, but one final mutation unveils the true face of the enemy and what their true intent is. 

After failing to destroy the zombies in Outbreak: The Mutation, and after discovering the secret behind the zombie’s mutations, Wilder and Butsko switch gears and decide to bring the fight to the deadly horde. This is their last shot at saving the world. Will they be able to thwart the zombie’s endplay, or is the world doomed by the ravenous horde?

OUTBREAK: ENDPLAY by horror author Scott Shoyer is the third installment in the series. THE HUNGER followed two groups, soldiers attempting containment and families visiting the zoo. THE MUTATION followed three storylines, with a variety of twists, as well as many new characters. ENDPLAY reveals the true source of the virus, and discover a secret hidden for decades from the human race.

While the series most certainly began as a horror story about a zombie apocalypse, by the third book, Shoyer has created a rather elaborate science fiction nightmare. Everything that befalls the survivors in ENDPLAY makes everything in the first two books look like a cake walk. Cheryl's growth as a character is inspirational, and the bond between soldiers Wilder and Butsko highlights the inner strength of humans. The family forged-by-fire becomes the key to saving the species...the one thing the virus couldn't destroy.

At first, the big reveal seems rather over the top, considering how small scale THE HUNGER is, but the survivors aren't willing to go gently. As a result, Shoyer delivers battle after battle with a highly explosive ending. While I'm fine with the trilogy as is, I wouldn't say no to a story set among the post-apocalyptic rubble.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Flight of the Butterfly

A once-thriving theater is rumored to be haunted by little Clarissa Salem, a young ballerina who disappeared from inside her dressing room many years ago. Now dilapidated and closed down, this theater is no longer visited, at least not to see the performances. One young girl double-dog dares another to spend the night in this theater. That is a perfectly safe outing for these two young girls, right? Unless little Clarissa is still hanging around.

In “The Hunger,” a butterfly wakes up to find that nectar from flowers no longer holds any interest for her. A strange new craving has taken over.

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Dance For Me by Lisa Binion is a serving of two stories. I have no idea why the author thought it was necessary to have an introduction for each short story...instead of reading the stories with zero expectations, I was reluctant to read them at all because of the intros. Author notes should be placed at the end.

Dance For Me took forever with the set-up. Never a good idea to spend that much time building up a short story. By the time something supernatural takes place, the ending is rushed and sloppy.

The Hunger is quite original, with the story being told from the POV of a butterfly. It's a piece of flash fiction, which is disappointing. Rather than waste space on intros and the doll story, I wish the author had written more about the butterfly's new thirst.

As always,
AstraDaemon