Compromised | Short Story Review | AstraDaemon

When special investigator Cort Davies accepts a deliver for a local biker gang, he sets into motion the dangerous conclusion to a long-term undercover assignment. Every moment of the following twenty-four hours has been planned and plotted to insure success, but all it takes is one command from the gang leader to unravel months of planning. A move that will put both Cort and the package–a woman bound and gagged in the trunk of the car–into a life or death fight they never planned on.

INFALLIBLE by Ruby Ransom is a decent crime drama, but seems more like a few chapters of a bigger story.

I hope the author will consider writing a full-length novel.

As always,

AstraDaemon

No Story | Flash Fiction Review | AstraDaemon

SLICE by Ruby Ransom is a flash fiction piece which reveals a single torture scene, rather than a story of any kind.

Complete disappointment after reading RECONCILED by the same author. The writing styles are vastly different.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Genre Surprise | Drama Review | AstraDaemon

RECONCILED by Ruby Ransom is a drama centered on a female Ranger returning to her life several years after an assignment goes wrong. For some reason, I found this during a horror search. While this novella isn't what I expected, I enjoyed this story.

The author's writing style works well for this genre, and I love how Ransom addresses the aftermath of being held captive by a cartel leader, rather than focusing on the violence endured by Nora. The POV switches from the main character to the two people closest to her: her partner and her boss, giving the story some real depth.

I'm planning to read more by Ransom.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Hill Jack Secrets | Supernatural Horror Review | AstraDaemon

APPALACHIAN DRUID: BOOK ONE - THE MASH by Samuel Brower is one of the best stories I've read in a long time, and I don't remember reading a storyline quite like this. There's a slight Pumpkinhead tone to the setting, with a touch of Last Man Standing, but the characters are the element which kept me captivated: brothers with a moonshine business, a friend with a talent for getting into trouble, an exploitive corporation, big city gangsters, and, last but not least, three generations of shape-shifting druids.

Erin is a freaking rockstar as far as I'm concerned, and I love Grandpa constantly showing up skyclad...I am looking forward to seeing what charisma Sean brings to the table.

The next installment can't come out fast enough, and I highly recommend the first of this new series by Brower!

As always,

AstraDaemon

The Gray Boy | AstraDaemon

WHISPER DOWN THE LANE by Clay McLeod Chapman is told through two different POVs, one taking place in 2013, the other set in 1983. Richard's life begins to unravel after finding a ritualistic killing on school property. Sean's life explodes after confessing to being victimized in a satanic ritual. When the two storylines begin to merge, the result is absolutely devastating.

This crime-thriller illustrates the consequences of exploiting people's fears through deception and manipulation. McLeod effortlessly blends a horrifying secret of one man's past with the psychological terror of a little boy, adding a layer of small-town paranoia to create a sensational tragedy involving several families. Both Sean and Richard could have avoided their fates, if they had simply been honest...but sometimes doing the right thing seems damn near impossible.

While this is not the horror novel I expected, if you enjoy stories such as THE CHILDREN OF RED PEAK (Craig DiLouie) or UNPAVED SURFACES (Joseph Souza), I think you will enjoy this one as well.

As always,

AstraDaemon

LGBTQ+ in Horror [INTERVIEW] | AstraDaemon

The other week I read a horror novel which takes place at a Pride festival, with LGBTQ+ characters leading the story...something not often seen. The fright formula is still a familiar one, but with a perspective which invites readers to get out of their heads and into someone else's. I asked Brady Phoenix to spend some time in the Lair and discuss his efforts to expand the genre...

---

How did you become interested in a genre which doesn’t have many LGBTQ+ main characters? Are you deliberately encouraging a change or simply creating characters and storylines you can relate to?

What draws me towards the horror genre are the qualities of the main character/final girl. The grit and determination when faced with adversity that draws me into the genre, which is something that members of the LGBTQ+ community can relate to. Any queer person has faced some type of challenge where their willingness to thrive gets challenged. I love even in horror movies that there are these extremes of character archetypes (geek, jock, fool, leader, promiscuous, etc.) that are spun uniquely in different ways to entertain the viewer, which I want to challenge adding LGBTQ+ ingredients to the recipe. There is also a quality within horror that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. There is a campy quality that brings you out of the “spook factor” that I enjoy and try to bring into my work. Plus, queer people deserved to get scared too!

The fact that there aren't a vast number of LGBTQ+ characters in horror fiction is something that gets concerning. In a lot of stories, it just feels like at times that there is no acknowledgement of the existence of queer people. If you look in everyday life, you don’t just see straight, cis, white people. There are more people than just them, and I am trying to encourage readers to look beyond the scope of what they think they see in everyday life and put themselves in the mindset of somebody who isn't the same as who they see themselves as or the people they are used to in their everyday lives. My hope is that people who don’t identify as LGBTQ+ can look at the qualities of the characters I create and see a similarity or two that they can relate to, lessening this visible divide between the two groups so that they can treat us with the decency and dignities that we all deserve just like everybody else.

In addition, the characters that do include LGBT+ characters are often perceived as an exaggeration or a caricature, or they are killed off early as the “token character”. There are not many direct influences that the younger queer generation can relate to, so it has been a motivation for me to create these stories that have characters that aren’t viewed as just “gay characters”, which can easily end up placing them into a certain box and should instead be viewed as a “character, who happens to be gay”.

My stories are not necessarily made for myself to relate to, since these characters experience events or encounters that are based on what I’ve lived through and witnessed. I want younger people like me that can look beyond the premise of a masked serial killer and see the similarities and struggles that these people have and relate to them, not feeling like they are not alone and their struggle will end. It won’t be easy, but it will end.

Do you have a specific audience in mind, or are you writing for all horror fans?

I’m writing for new adults as my main target audience, since the moments were inspired by my twenties, but it isn’t exclusive to them since horror is for everybody. I also try to keep a balance to entertain the LGBTQ+ audience while provoking the minds of the straight audiences. My goal is to take the qualities that we all love in 80s and 90s slasher movies and give the reader the experience of watching a movie, just adding a little more diversity. LGBTQ+ audiences will appreciate that they are finally being included in a genre that is loved and underrepresented. And my hope is that anybody who isn’t a part of our community will be entertained by a fresh, new-ish take on the genre that they love.

It is a challenging task to balance. I don’t want to lose my mission to inspire a younger LGBTQ+ generation to feel inspired by my group of “Final girls and boys”. I also don’t want to go too much to the point where non-community members feel like “I am shoving our agenda down their throat.” (side note: I hate it when people say that! They have been shoving their agenda down our throat for decades!). I just hate the fact that there has been an non-inclusive divide in many aspects of society where we just aren’t looked at as normal as they see themselves. And its even worse for queer people of color! I don’t want to turn off the straight audience by overdoing it and crossing over their society built standards.

How do you feel about novels being lumped together under LGBTQ+ instead of simply being placed among their corresponding genres? Do you think it does more harm than good as far as normalizing fiction with LGBTQ+ characters?

This is a double-edged sword. There is a benefit to placing novels in an LGBTQ+ category so that members of our community don’t have to sift through a list of books in hopes that they find what they are looking for, if they desire a good queer read. On the flip side, its divisive and non-members have a list that they can filter out because they don’t want anything to do with queer people or their struggles reflected in literature. It is doing more harm especially now that the divide has gotten worse between the two extremes.

Luckily, there is a middle ground where there are people who don’t identify as LGBTQ+ who have an open mind to give our stories a try without any preconceived judgments or assumptions. Those people are to be recognized and thanked as those numbers continue to grow as the years pass. The LGBTQ+ community needs to keep remaining patient as we have been for many years, and the middle (ally) community needs to keep advocating for us in all aspects. I’m not saying they have to march/rally. They just need to advocate in the face of indifference and educate in the sight of ignorance. I have faith that this will get better and easier for queer books, and I will do everything in my writing career to make stories that will help transition those minds.

Which authors have influenced and/or inspired you and what is it you enjoy about their stories?

I have to of course recognize Stephen King for being a huge pioneer for the horror community. His stories are so out there and they make your spine tingle! I appreciate Clive Barker for doing the same thing! R.L. Stein gave me nightmares as a kid, so I appreciate them as a core foundation for my love of horror and LGBTQ+ stories.

I also love Riley Sager, for the reason that his books are what got my passion for reading and writing stronger. His work gives me the experience of watching a horror movie without turning the television on. I stopped writing for 15 years and gave up on the idea that I could make writing as a career. It was his books that made me passionate for the horror/suspense genre. I owe so much to him!

What are your plans for 2021? Any more titles being released this year?

My goals for 2021 is to keep being safe and healthy both in body and mind. I hope to do my part to keep spreading my message of love and acceptance and bridge the gap between LGBTQ+ people and non members, and also encouraging any person who is outside of the societal norm to express themselves creatively so that their perspective is heard. I want to keep expanding my author platform to as many readers as I can, and even connect with them. I am also in the process of writing my second novel of this series which I hope to release this fall! I won’t spoil anything at this moment, but I am very excited to keep going with what was just a ‘bucket list’ item, and making it bigger than I ever dreamt of it to become!

---

Thanks to Phoenix for stopping by!

If you haven't read CARDINAL RULES yet, I highly recommend it, especially if you're a fan of 80s slasher movies.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Familiar Formula | AstraDaemon

CARDINAL RULES by Brady Phoenix is reminiscent of an 80s slasher film, with the killer wanting revenge for some perceived wrong-doing. However, I would describe this novel more as a crime-thriller, with intense relationship drama playing out in two different timelines. The mystery surrounding the Cardinal killer kept me hooked from beginning to end, and I think many horror fans would enjoy this story.

Unfortunately, I think some are going to pass this up just because the characters are LGBTQ+, which is ridiculous. First of all, this is not erotica, nor are there any overtly sexual scenes, so no one can use that as an excuse to skip this one. Second, this is basically the same formula as most thrillers: a bunch of young people (which includes several typical characters such as the nice guy and the major AH) are trying to have a good time, but someone is killing them off. Last but not least, the characters are dealing with personal issues that many of us could relate to, such as friends who don't get along with each other, domestic abuse and personal tragedies.

With all that said, I would have preferred more action scenes and a little less dialogue...I will admit I was expecting a more brutal horror plot. However, I'm still recommending this book because I like seeing more variety in the groups of people portrayed in fiction, whether it's horror or other genres.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Blood Tax | AstraDaemon

Two fisherman hit the Chesapeake Bay in the midst of a season long crab shortage in order to save their business. If they don't bring in a haul and pay off their loan to Otis Bailey, the King of the Old Bay, they're as good as dead. Unfortunately for them, Otis is the least of their worries.

OLD BAY KING by Donnie Goodman is a flash fiction piece disguising a creature feature as a crime drama. A couple of business partners decide to go crab hunting in an area they were warned about, but their risk pays off in more ways than one. However, the tax on their find requires more than money...it will cost them a pound of flesh and more.

I'd like to see this one made into a SyFy movie, and I'll definitely be keeping this author on my radar.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Ultraviolence | AstraDaemon

KELSEY'S PLAYGROUND: THE STORY OF A SADISTIC KILLER by K.B. Knight is an excellent crime thriller, with such brutal violence, this novel should come with multiple trigger warnings. This story is so radially different from the author's GREENWOOD series, I wasn't mentally prepared for the savage perversion of Kelsey Masters' murder spree.

Knight drags his readers into the dark alley of Kelsey's life, guts them with the jagged edges of her teen years, and performs unspeakable horrors with his characters from one page to the next, as he reveals the sickness within Ms. Masters. Kelsey maneuvers through her life like a psycho playing chess with body parts for board pieces.

The worst part is finding myself on Team Kelsey. She's kind of a female Dexter, living as a corrections officer while victimizing the prisoners, her co-workers, and anyone unfortunate enough to cross her path. Unlike Dexter, her motives are selfish. Don't even get me started on her blackouts. The ending left me screaming for more.

I sincerely hope Knight writes another PLAYGROUND novel soon.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Last Exit | AstraDaemon

SO MUCH MESSIER by Veronica Smith is a flash fiction piece about a guy in a crappy marriage. He keeps seeing a gun on the side of the freeway on his way home, and he finally decides to take it home with him.

He thinks someone just tossed the gun after committing a crime, but he doesn't ask himself the right question about the weapon. The ending left me with mixed feelings. Not a bad crime drama.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Fu Sheng Returns | AstraDaemon

BLOOD BONDS by Laura A. Ellison features the Chinese vampire, Fu Sheng, from the short story, A FOREIGN BODY. As with the short story, this novella is also a mix of crime drama, science fiction and preternatural characters, as well as multiple alien species.

An ancient vampire family makes their way to the New Galaxy (not an easy journey for vampires, who still have yet to make their species known to anyone), with news of in-fighting between the older and younger generations of vampires. The young ones are sick of hiding, but the older ones believe the humans will hunt them to extinction, even on other planets. The threat of exposure follows them to their new home. Unfortunately, the humans have spread throughout the known universe, much to the displeasure of the aliens.

You don't have to read the short story to enjoy this one, but I highly recommend reading A FOREIGN BODY first for context about the alien culture, as well as background about Fu Sheng and his few acquaintances.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Halloween Reading: Devil Week | Town Secrets | AstraDaemon

A girl goes missing. Her body is later found dumped in the forest. Soon a video starts circulating, showing her agonizing death in great detail. It's an old story, but this time one man is determined to set things right.

When he realizes that the police are moving too slowly, retired cop Merrick Richards decides to take matters into his own hands. He knows who's behind a series of killing in Bridgeford, and he's determined to make sure that justice is done, even if that means that he has to cross over to the dark side. Soon he has the culprit in chains, trapped in an isolated basement. The tables have been turned, but how far is Merrick willing to go in order to extract a confession?

Don't Let the Devil Know Your Name is the story of a man who decides to sacrifice his good name for the safety of his town, and of a horror that soon grows to engulf an entire family.

DON'T LET THE DEVIL KNOW YOUR NAME by Amy Cross is a crime drama filled with horror and suspense. Told from the POV of retired detective Merrick Richards, the Devil appears to be having his way with the people of Bridgeford. In the process of taking justice into his own hands, Merrick unknowingly places his family in the path of great evil. Unfortunately, evil takes many forms, complicating an already complex situation.

The author creates an atmosphere of doubt about the suspect, as well as Merrick's way of justifying the horrors taking place in his underground bunker. The ending is littered with bodies. This would make a great movie.

As always,
AstraDaemon

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

Taking Out The Trash

OUTLAST YOUR GODS by Elias Witherow is dark like THE THIRD PARENT, but without the supernatural entity. This time, the trouble comes in the form of a new neighbor, Sawyer, who attempts to influence the impressionable mind of Rowan. The poor kid is determined to be a good person, but, with everyone and their dog antagonizing him, Sawyer's way of thinking seems to make sense.

Unfortunately, the thirteen year old is dragged into a waking nightmare by the raging drunk, and he's lost all hope of escaping. Everyone has an event which changed them forever...this summer will either be Rowan's rebirth or his last stand. Once again, Witherow horrifies readers with the monsters among us.

I also recommend THE LAST TOWER by Witherow, a family drama set in a sci-fi post-apocalypse.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Sci-Fi Drug Addiction

ISADORA DAYSTAR by P.I. Barrington is an excellent story about struggling with inner demons and self-redemption, but, instead of being set in a modern world, the author had the great idea to write this drama with a sci-fi theme, which I think readers will appreciate immensely.

Isadora is an unusual choice for a protagonist: she's a former soldier, a drug addict, a thief, and an assassin, who often prostitutes herself to alien species to make ends meet, since she's not very good at killing her marks. Her entire existence is based around her addiction to a drug she encountered during her military service...an utterly pathetic existence at that.

I love the imagery of this futuristic universe, with extremely unusual descriptions of Isadora's main world, Rho (a moon that never sees the light of a sun). Rather than focusing on the technology, Barrington highlights the changes in the social structure of the human race. For example, religion is outlawed, and additional laws had to be enacted regarding sexual contact with other alien races, revealing incredible creativity on the part of the author. Between the various species, interplanetary travel, and new moral codes of the existing human race, the plight of Isadora is enthralling as a deadly bacteria infection causes her to abandon ship.

I recommend this novel to all readers, not just sci-fi fans.

As always,
AstraDaemon

No Rest For The Wicked

NO REST by Joslyn Chase is a collection of fourteen short stories, with author notes for each one. Unfortunately, the notes are placed before each short, so I skipped them altogether, not wanting to risk having the stories ruined for me. (I read the notes after I finished all of the shorts.)

I've never read anything by Chase before, so I had no idea what to expect, but I was not disappointed. The author is a great storyteller. Ranging from crime drama to mystery-suspense, these shorts feature the best and worst of human nature.

This anthology is making my TOP 2020 list.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Termination Is Final

NDA by Fredrick Niles is an obvious jab at a well-known real-life corporation...and not far off from the truth. The author has created a great twist on the concept of revealing insider info. The ending includes a bit of dark humor.

I will definitely be reading more from Niles this year.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Twisted Sister

LITTLE SISTER by Isabel Ashdown is a family drama which centers on the disappearance of a baby girl named Daisy. Jess, after reconnecting with her sister Emily, moves in with her older sister's family, but on New Year's Eve, she wakes up to paramedics and police in the house. Chloe, Emily's teen stepdaughter, comes home drunk in the morning to find out her baby sister has been kidnapped. James, Emily's husband, has already lost his first wife and now he fears he has lost a child as well. Even though Emily is the one who ties them all together, she is also the one tearing apart the family with her jealousy, lies and manipulation of past events.

The story is told through rotating POVs of multiple characters, mostly Jess and Emily. I read this novel in one sitting, even though some of the chapters absolutely dragged, bogged down with insignificant details. Despite the slow pace of the storyline from beginning to end, I attempted to race through the chapters, horrified at Emily's treatment of the people around her. I correctly guessed the family secret Emily kept from Jess for over a decade, but the truth behind Daisy's abduction still shocked me.

I like the ending, but I wish Emily had suffered more. Emily is one of THE most toxic characters I've ever come across in novel. I sincerely hope the author doesn't know anyone like that in real life. If you like Gone Baby Gone, you might enjoy this novel as well.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Supernatural Crime Noir

MONSTERS by Thomas Smith is more mystery-thriller than horror. The author has mixed a familiar supernatural concept with crime drama into something resembling noir fiction, with the narrator being both a victim and killer in equal measure. Smith also maintains a solid balance between action and dialogue, complete with a coming of age flashback. No dull moments, and entertaining enough to become a preternatural crime series.

While the premise is similar to a certain Marvel movie series, the tone is less campy, more personal, and I'd love to see Smith bring back Jack for another case file.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Shaw On Vacation

DEAD END by Matt Shaw is surprisingly tame compared to many of his other stories. I'm so used to an onslaught of horrific action from Shaw, this novella came across as fairly boring. There is a lot of narration about thoughts and feelings, and I wondered if the author wrote this on a bender because this is simply not what I've come to expect from Matt Shaw.

Aside from the one disturbing scene, Dead End is more of a crime drama than any kind of horror story. If you want to know what Shaw is really capable of, I recommend Octopus.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Bad Connection

DARK WEB by Kelvin Teo is a clever mix of crime drama, time travel and horror. This flash fiction piece had me hooked all the way through, but the ending is too abrupt. There are just enough details about Malcom and his friend Jackie to make me care about the two teens, so I can't let it go. The story idea is too good not to develop into a novel.

You don't have to be a horror fan to appreciate the suspense created by Teo.

As always,
AstraDaemon