Getting Inked Up | AstraDaemon

CYANIDE by Emily Hagenbaugh is something I found through a search for horror. This is more of a YA supernatural drama, so this novella didn't live up to my expectations. HOWEVER, this is still a cool story I would recommend to younger readers.

The main character performs a ritual which merges him with his comic book creation. This concept alone makes me wish this could be made into a movie, especially since comic fans and supernatural fans tend to be the same people.

I wish there had been more fight scenes. The ending makes me think this has the potential for a series, but CYANIDE really should be marketed towards the YA fiction readers.

As always,

AstraDaemon

The Puzzle Piece | AstraDaemon

HIDE AND SEEKER by Daka Hermon is a YA horror fiction novel centered on a group of friends who are marked by a demonic entity called the Seeker, after they break the rules of the game, Hide and Seek. In an effort to save themselves from being trapped in the Nowhere realm with their worst fears, they track down someone who was once a prisoner of the Seeker for seven years. When they realize how they were found by the evil monster, the strength of their friendships is put to the test.

The author has taken the fear factor of horror to a new level without graphic violence or exploitation of characters. The captured children are tormented by the physical manifestation of their worst fears, but they quickly learn how to fight back. Justin and Duke form an alliance, giving hope to everyone trapped with them.

This is so much more than a coming-of-age story. Hermon has taken basic elements of childhood mixed with the supernatural to explore the concepts of family, loyalty and acceptance. Not only do I recommend this to all readers, but I'm adding this novel to my Best Fiction 2021 list.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Watch Out for the Carnies | AstraDaemon

HALLOWEEN LAND: A COMING OF AGE NOVELLA by Kevin J. Kennedy is so entertaining, he should've written a full-length novel. I love the concept of an evil carnival which travels through time and space, moving from one reality to another, claiming victims with every stop. Zak and Wendy are believable characters, and their interactions flow well throughout the story. Their third wheel is intriguing, and I wish the author had offered up more backstory for their unusual companion.

While this story could pass as YA horror fiction, I think readers of all ages would appreciate the terror within these pages.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Nothing Will Quite Be The Same

Alex and Steve leave home together to begin their courses but in less than a week Alex goes missing when some hunk called Tarquin steps onto the scene. Just when everything was going so well, suddenly it wasn't…

After completing their studies and passing yet more exams, the other Kilkorne chums, Rachel, Maisie and Fred prepare for college by going shopping, unaware that the screaming may be about to start all over again.

BRITISH ZOMBIE BREAKOUT, PART FOUR: LAST GASP by Peter Salisbury begins with a time jump. The teens are moving on with their lives, while Rachel continues to milk her celebrity status, even at the expense of her relationships with the others. With no explanation, Alex and Steve are taken into military custody, just in time to bear witness to a new outbreak.

I enjoyed this installment far more than the second and third stories. The events taking place on the army base are more in line with what zombie fans would expect from an undead threat to survival. The teens locked up in the tower offers a great perspective of the unfolding events. I'm hoping the author might consider continuing the series, especially since some of the characters were finally developing their personalities.

As always,
AstraDaemon

The Demon You Disrupted

British Zombie Breakout – Part Three: Zombies Go Global. The Minister's plots deepen, the virus goes AWOL, and Alex and Steve are on the run again. Where will zombies turn up next and can they be stopped from infecting the world? Will Rachel ever appear on TV or will Steve beat her to it?

BRITISH ZOMBIE BREAKOUT, PART THREE: ZOMBIES GO GLOBAL by Peter Salisbury continues with political intrigue and bio-terrorists. While there's no lack of suspense or action, the characters have never really been developed beyond their initial introductions in The Castle. Very little has ever been revealed about their lives prior to the Kilkorne outbreak, and their personalities are very basic, despite the chaos surrounding them. As such, I have been losing interest in the series.


I thought this would become a great YA fiction mini-series, but I think the second and third installments need an overhaul. There isn't much incentive to move on to the fourth and final story, unless the characters are given some serious depth.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Turns A Boy Into A Fightin' Man

British Zombie Breakout Part 2: Escape From Kilkorne. Zombies are still on the rampage, killing and infecting anyone in their path. A close-knit band of ten uninfected fugitives must prove they are clean by escaping the stricken village where they are trapped by the army. A quarantine cordon surrounds the whole area, with an entire army camp between the village and freedom.

What chance of survival do the fugitives have while zombies are still at large in the English countryside and when a corrupt politician and the Chief Scientist at the Breathedeep Biological Research Facility are intent on their capture, dead or alive? Who will prove to be the more ingenious, the authorities, the fugitives or the zombies?

BRITISH ZOMBIE BREAKOUT, PART TWO: ESCAPE FROM KILKORNE by Peter Salisbury is the second installment in his zombie mini-series. Steve, one of the students, proves yet again to be the most resourceful of the group. Not only is he responsible for saving the other kids in The Castle, but he's found a way to detect infection without a blood test, as well as avoiding anything contaminated.

The military continues to be manipulated by the politicians, and Steve's survivor group, which includes the adults, are struggling to stay ahead of the ongoing battle between the undead and the soldiers. While not much has been revealed about the exact nature of the zombies, there is reason to believe they are capable of predatory thinking.

The ending suggests the story will continue in a new direction with the third installment...

As always,
AstraDaemon

They've Got The Kingdom Locked Up

The authorities should have been more careful after the first zombie breakout infected half of England and disrupted lives right across the country. Unfortunately, either someone got careless, again, or the disease was far more virulent than anyone expected. The remote fishing village of Kilkorne with its picturesque castle and harbour was the last place to expect an attack, despite its proximity to the experimental facility where the disease was invented. Once the second outbreak had been officially announced by the Ministry, anyone resisting capture was to be shot as being infected with zombieism. Alternatively you could surrender and be kept in a quarantine camp, where last time the survival rate was zero.

Refusing to accept either option, five teenagers and five adults separately begin journeys from opposite sides of the village. They attempt to stay one step ahead of an insane horde of highly infectious, half dead creatures, the army's orders to shoot on sight, and the Ministry's instructions to burn down the village. Furthermore, the endeavour was not exactly helped by a suspected case of haunting.

BRITISH ZOMBIE BREAKOUT, PART ONE: THE CASTLE by Peter Salisbury is a strong start to a series that would definitely appeal to YA fiction readers. I love how the author immediately establishes that this is not the first zombie outbreak that the characters have had to deal with. However, the characters do not seem to fare much better, apparently having gotten too comfortable living somewhat normal lives again. Therefore, it's no surprise when their evacuate-by-boat plan falls through. The two groups of survivors, some adults and some students, then decide to make for the village's nearby castle.

The POV switches back and forth from the adults to the children, until the groups merge onto the same location, which kept the action flowing, but I would have liked a third POV from the soldiers who appear to be shooting anything on two legs.

Check back for reviews of each installment!

As always,
AstraDaemon

Throwback Thursday: Almost Gave Up

Life in a small town can be pretty boring when everyone avoids you like the plague. But after their father unwittingly sends them to stay with an aunt who's away on holiday, the Hardscrabble children take off on an adventure that begins in the seedy streets of London and ends in a peculiar sea village where, according to legend, a monstrous half-beast boy roams the woods...

The Kneebone Boy by Ellen Potter is set-up as one of the three Hardscrabble children writing a tale about a personal adventure, under the guidance of a teacher. While the writer is to remain anonymous, it doesn't take long to figure out which child is most likely the author. The problem I have with this approach is it really does seem like a child wrote this book (so, technically, Ellen Potter is a talented author), and I grew sick of having the story interrupted by the narrator addressing the reader directly (cheesy interjections, and some on the insulting side). This seems to dumb-down the book, rather than add to it. The constant explaining of events, as well as the brief summary of things to come at the start of each chapter, slowed down the pace of the story considerably.

Otto is the oldest of the Hardscrabble children; he keeps a scarf wrapped around his face, he doesn't speak, and he signs in a way that only Lucia and Max can translate. Lucia is the middle child, and seemed to have a harsh personality. Max, the youngest, is the deep thinker. Their dad, Casper, travels quite a bit, and leaves the children in the care of Mrs. Carnival. Their adventure begins when an arrangement for their care falls through and they decide to search for a mysterious great-aunt. Along the way, they meet a curious character named Saint George, and a five-legged cat they call Chester.

I was so sure I would never recommend this book to anyone. The thing is, when I finally realized what this story is really about, I found this to be one of the most beautiful tales that I've ever read...in a sad way that brought tears to my eyes. Ellen Potter isn't just talented; she's ground-breaking. She uses a combination of genres to introduce a new perspective to a family problem that would be difficult for anyone to deal with, especially young children. I love how Casper and the children come together to make the best of a tragic situation. Anyone who reads this book will appreciate the resiliency of the Hardscrabble children.

As always,
AstraDaemon

A Kid's POV

Eight-year-old Alan doesn’t like going to school, but when a global pandemic leaves him orphaned, cold, starving, and lonely, he has no choice but to set out on a dangerous quest to return to his third-grade classroom. 

SCHOOL’S OUT, an all-new post-apocalyptic novella by Grandmaster Award winning author Brian Keene, was suggested to him by his son, marking their first official collaboration, and is suitable for all ages.

School's Out by Brian Keene is a horror novella that I can recommend to my friends AND their kids. The focus of the story is all about Alan's level of critical thinking during a pandemic, which has taken his parents away from him. He often references YouTube videos and his parents to make decisions.

During his time alone, Alan faces everything from caring for himself and his cat to stranger danger and feral dogs. Not to mention that Alan is also on the autism spectrum. Throughout the story, I felt the boy's feelings, thoughts, and actions were believable behavior from a grade-schooler facing multiple hardships.

My own son, at age 8, had grown up with a mom writing for horror websites, and a dad performing stunt choreography in dozens of horror movies. My son also acted in a zombie movie (his character even survives to the end), so the topic of "what if" in an apocalyptic situation is something my son grew up with.

It sounds extreme, as well as morbid, but planning for a worst-case scenario prepared my son for common emergencies. Additionally, the "what if" discussions made it easier to address the serious topics in the news headlines. I highly recommend this story as a way to have your own "what if" discussion with your kids. Their responses might delight and surprise you.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Lunar Faerie Circle

Avery Rush is on an expedition into the moon's own version of the Bermuda Triangle - a mysterious region of the lunar surface where many a vessel has disappeared - though he is skeptical they'll find anything at all. But the fantastic world on the other side turns out to be full of surprises and dangers that may prove too much for this seasoned pilot who thought he'd seen it all...

OtherPlace by Michael D. Britton is a short story which takes place in the future. Space travel, everything from luxury cruises to shipping livestock, is a common occurrence. Avery, the pilot of a lunar vessel, is tasked with exploring the infamous Circle of Doom.

The mix of science fiction, fantasy and mythology had me spellbound as soon as the action began. While very little is revealed about the nature of the Circle, I still enjoyed the time twists throughout the story.

I can't remember how I found OtherPlace, but I would recommend it as YA fiction.

As always,
AstraDaemon