Pass On This | Horror Review | AstraDaemon

HER NAME WAS AMBER by Matt Shaw begins with a note about domestic violence, which serves as an appropriate content warning. Seems ridiculous some readers need to be reminded this is a work of fiction and the characters are a creation of the author, not a reflection, but...at least they were warned.

While I'm not crazy about the back and forth on the timeline, Shaw does label the transitions, edging his readers on with his teasing writing style. Unfortunately, there's zero character development, which is something I look forward to with this author. Not sure what I expected him to do with the narrator, but the "nice guy" revenge persona is just a disgusting as Amber and her BS.

Shaw is usually much more creative than this...instead of this story, I recommend FROM THE FLAMES or BELOW DECK.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Roger Roger | AstraDaemon

SCARS OF THE BROKEN by Ryan C. Thomas is the third book in the Roger Huntington Saga. I'm really digging the person Roger has become, his dark sense of humor is an oasis in the sea of blood he calls his life. His roommates have a Cabin-in-the-Woods feel to them, and Fountain is shady from the very beginning. For several chapters, I worried this book would be the one to sink the series, but Thomas came through with a mix of horror, crime drama and the paranormal in the most unexpected way.

This story is radically different from the first one, even with the torture element, but I'm still hoping Thomas will continue with the Roger near-death experiences.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Learning the Hard Way | AstraDaemon

BORN TO BLEED by Ryan C. Thomas is the second book in the Roger Huntington Saga. I'm slightly aggravated by the character's choices, considering what he went through in the first book. I suppose Roger figured, "What are the chances THAT will happen again?" and decided he paid his dues for the rest of his life. Not a chance...

When he fails to see the warning signs of another possible threat, two people he knows are soon facing a similar hell to the one Roger barely survived. To his credit, he doesn't hesitate to attempt a rescue, but he doesn't appear to have learned much from his previous captor. Maybe it's the junk advice he receives in his therapy sessions, but I'm grateful he has the sense to involve Teddy.

As strange as the storyline becomes, I couldn't help but think of the Armie Hammer scandal in Hollywood, which makes a person wonder how likely this psycho stuff takes place, and how much could a group of elitists get away with.

While not as strong as the first installment, I'm definitely sticking with the series.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Roll of the Dice | AstraDaemon

THE SUMMER I DIED by Ryan C. Thomas is the first book in the Roger Huntington Saga. I've been a fan of the author for years, but somehow I missed this series, and I'm shocked to discover Thomas had this inside of him. So many times, I imagined myself in the place of the narrator, Roger, and there's no way I would have had his fortitude. I would have run away as soon as the screaming began.

The setup is slow, but absolutely brilliant, allowing readers to bond with all the characters, before the nightmare begins. Tooth and Roger are an unusual pair, but their individual issues seem to compliment each other. However, their personal histories beg the question, can you break someone who is already damaged?

While some may be tempted to call this torture porn, the story is not graphic for the sake of being shocking. Make no mistake, what Roger and Tooth endure is horrifying, but the details are necessary for the ending and the future installments to make sense.

If you are simply a visitor to the horror genre, this will definitely be too much for you, but I am recommending this one to hardcore horror fans who read other authors such as Matt Shaw or Armand Rosamilia.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Picnic of Death

Dave is a middle aged waste of space. His days drip away in a haze of drinking, smoking and stealing from his mother. But one night the sound of screams disturbs Dave’s habitual living, and everything changes. Something evil is on the loose, snatching people from the comfort of their own homes. Dave’s neighbour’s, his family, his friends are suddenly vanishing. No one is safe. Unfortunately for Dave, it’s up to him to put a stop to it. Even if it kills him.

A LIFE TO WASTE by Andrew Lennon is another example of the author leading readers down a specific path, and then brutally shoving them off the path, straight into hell. I should have remembered Lennon never writes in a straight line, and every twist has a jagged edge to it.

Even though I had read the book's description first, I became so lost in the ruin of Dave's life, I forgot the story is about something other than Dave. As his personal drama unfolds, I wondered what it would take to undo the damage. Nothing could have prepared me for Dave's late night visitor. If I see an ice cream truck at night, I will likely crap myself.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Thursday Thriller: Frenemy

Sick and tired of day to day life. John turns to his thoughts and imagination for a means of escape.

One day he meets Keith. He is taught that life doesn't have to be boring. It can be fun. You can go places, do things, meet people. For the first time in his life, John begins to enjoy himself.

However, he soon learns that Keith is not as he appears.
He has a dark side. He is out of control and he is taking John down with him.

KEITH by Andrew Lennon centers on a cubicle worker by the name of John. He crosses paths with a guy named Keith a couple of times, and believes he's made a friend. Unfortunately, Keith is a sadistic psycho, and he's determined to drag John into Hell.

I've read so many stories with this premise, I had a solid idea of what kind of entity Keith is. However, I didn't know if, or how, John would be able to get Keith out of his life. The ending is not a happy one. Overall, an interesting psychological novella, but none of the dark humor I've come to expect from the author.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Tuesday Terror: Home Is Where The Heart Is

CAPTIVE HEARTS by Matt Shaw centers on the grief and anger of a man only known as The Doctor. He has lost his daughter in an accident, and Tony has something he wants. Stephanie is tasked with caring for Tony. The story switches between the three POVs. The horror lies within the hopelessness of their situation: none of them are going to get what they want from this situation.

Stephanie's broken spirit suggests she has been there a while, but there is some confusion about her living arrangement with The Doctor. There is a claustrophobic feel to the setting, and Shaw does such a great job describing the conditions Stephanie and Tony must live with, you can smell the human waste and taste the slimy, cold fish.

They do not live in a house. They live in Hell, with each room tailored to their suffering.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Lovecraft Mixed With Marquis De Sade

With mounting debt, and her career not going in the direction she'd hoped for, Jessica Ann took a modelling job at the Larsen's lavish party.

What should have been an easy evening soon takes a nightmarish turn when she finds herself embroiled in an insane plot to awaken The Old Great One...

OCTOPUS by Matt Shaw has been thoroughly ripped on for being torture porn. While the author has always been somewhat controversial, one has to remember horror comes in many forms. Also, when a story is described as "an extreme horror novel," readers should considered themselves warned. Just in case I'm not making myself clear, Shaw is for seasoned horror fans, not tourists of the genre.

With that said, while the story IS fiction, the most horrific part is knowing many of the events within the pages occur in the real world. Perhaps that is what makes people so uncomfortable with Shaw's storytelling: he reminds people of the ugliness and brutality of human nature. Throughout Octopus, Shaw mixes relationships, desperation and depravity in equal measure. The pace crawls in some places, becoming more frantic in other scenes, with the goal of luring readers into the mansion with Max and Helena.

The ending is not what I expected. Actually, I didn't know what to expect, aside from the level of terror only Shaw can deliver. If Lovecraft had a child with the Marquis De Sade, he'd probably be a lot like author Matt Shaw.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Human-size Cow Pie

Justin managed to get the day off work. He has plans to make the most of it. Drugs, booze, hookers - total degradation. There's just one problem. Those damn flies!

FLIES by Andrew Lennon is a short story about a schmuck who is a jerk to everyone around him...and he keeps seeing flies. Lennon has a talent for creating unpleasant characters, while keeping readers interested in the fate of those characters.

While the ending is a bit predictable, I still got a kick out of seeing Justin's day fall apart. I'm not sure what the deal is with the guy talking to "Kevin," and that irked me a bit, but I still enjoyed the quickie with Justin.

STRANDS by Shaun Hupp is a bonus flash fiction piece about arachnophobia.

LITTLE ANGEL by Norman Turrell is another bonus story about a new father adjusting to a nightly ritual.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Never Will I See The Sun Again

From author Andrew Lennon comes a new collection of eighteen titles, including short stories, drabbles and poetry. This versatile collection will have you fearing those noises coming from the attic, questioning whether you should enter that haunted house at the fairground, thinking twice before you stay in a motel on a desert-stricken highway. It will touch you emotionally when you witness a person’s struggles, their discovery of new friends, how they can triumph and live to see another day, raising their heads to create their own Ode to Death.

ODE TO DEATH by Andrew Lennon is an interesting mix of horror, in various forms:

MY ODE TO DEATH is a poem.

HOUSE OF ILLUSION is a carnival nightmare.

LUNCHTIME is a flash fiction piece...literally.

GHOST STORY had a ghost, but not much story.

NO SLEEP is another poem.

CARAVAN seems like a headline turned into a story.

BURIED is a flash fiction funeral gone wrong.

SANTA CLAUS COMES AT NIGHT is one of the most horrific stories in the collection.

DOG RACE is a tribute to Stephen King's Cujo.

TRYING TO WRITE A HORROR STORY is a tribute to Stephen King's Misery.

HIDE BEHIND A SMILE: poem.

VISITING TIME is a zombie story.

STRESS BLANKET is a soup for the soul moment. Not sure how it fits in with the rest.

RED SHOES is extremely sick and twisted, but very well-written, with a superb ending. The best story in the anthology.

NEW BEGINNING...more poetry.

THE SECRET LIFE OF MY IMAGINARY FRIEND would make a fantastic crime-thriller movie.

LOVER is brutal.

ONE NIGHT IN HOTEL is a chilling combination of the supernatural and crime drama.

House of Illusion, Santa Claus Comes At Night, Red Shoes and The Secret Life of My Imaginary Friend are all such fantastic horror stories, the four of them make this collection worth getting. However, I'm not really impressed with the anthology as a whole, but I still plan on reading more of Lennon's work in the following months.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Stay With Me 'Til The End

Officer Norman was only a teenager when his quiet neighbourhood fell victim to a brutal serial killer's bloody games. Too young to help, but not too young to feel helpless. Now, twenty five years later, as he patrols his beat, he can't help but wonder about the killer. A killer who is still out there, somewhere. Haunting memories of a case never to be solved . . . or is it?

THE SECRET LIFE OF MY IMAGINARY FRIEND by horror authors Andrew Lennon and Stephen White would make a fantastic crime-thriller movie. The serial murders are revealed through flashbacks, as the narrator is on his way to a concert. The half-time show leads to such a wicked twist, I had to reread the ending three times to make sure I understood what had happened.

I love being caught off guard.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Don't Bring A Schlong To A Knife Fight

Clarke has had a rough week.

His girlfriend told him it was over, his drug dealer is trying to kill him, and he's being followed by that nasty bird everywhere he goes. 

Now he's hell bent on settling the score and teaching every last one of them that he's not a man to be taken lightly... especially the beady-eyed pigeon that has taken more from him than his pride.

Lennon & Motz bring you an exciting, horrific, fast-paced story, packed with violence, gore, mutilation... and angry birds!

No one is safe and nothing goes unseen beneath the watchful eye of The Pigeon.

The Pigeon by Andrew Lennon and Christopher Motz should come with a warning about the graphic violence. Clarke hasn't had a rough week, he IS the rough week...for everyone unfortunate to cross paths with the maniac. At first, I thought Clarke to be merely a jilted lover who lost his mind, after losing something near and dear to him, but the authors fooled the hell out of me.

With the introduction of Greg and Tracy, and their falling out, the story line appeared to transition from psychological-thriller to crime drama, but, again, Lennon and Motz took me out at the knees with Tracy's long walk home. The ending resembles something like a Jackson Pollock painting, but with blood, pus and pigeon crap.

As terrifying as Clarke and his rotten friend are -- the rattlesnake shake in the diner is the most horrifying thing I've ever read -- you know who frightens me more? Lennon and Motz. Sickos.

Can't wait to read more of their work.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Using Violence To Make A Point

Pretty Little Thing by Steve Wands is shocking, frightening and a brilliant mix of horror and science fiction. There are a few scenes with graphic violence and strong sexual content, but I thought it emphasized what a monster the husband is and drove home the inner rage building up in the wife.

The Good Wives Club is a truly terrifying concept. Given current events in Hollywood, I think this story is going to strike a chord with quite a lot of people. Steve Wands delivers more than one throat punch with this short story and redefines domestic abuse.

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Since the beginning of the year, I've been including the thoughts and impressions that occur to me as I read these stories. For example, a story might resurrect a memory...sometimes I have seemingly random thoughts triggered by an aspect of a story. Every once in a while, I write a little more about the specific story, in addition to the main review.

Pretty Little Things scares the crap out of me. It's not even a matter of whether or not something like this could be implemented - just the idea that there are people like Douglas who would jump at the chance to use technology to force their will on others.

Let's face it: it's already happening in other ways...

As always,
AstraDaemon

Sick Story For Saturday

Tentacle by Caleb Deschain

When I first came across this book (no pun intended), there was NOTHING about erotica in the description. I honestly thought this was just going to be a horror story like the movie Deep Rising. Imagine my surprise...

Tentacle by Caleb Deschain might prove popular with certain Japanese Anime fans, but not sure how other horror fans are going take this. Tammy, a junior researcher at a biotech corporation, wakes up in a concrete chamber with partial amnesia...and she is NOT alone. Subject #8472, a bioengineered life form, rises from the dark pool within the chamber and violates Tammy in some rather explicit ways. DEPRAVED SEXUAL CONTENT, interspecies rape - you have been warned.

Aside from the subject matter, I approached this story the way I would with any other. I found the repetition of phrases annoying; the dialogue could have been better. Additional editing would have improved this story. Regardless of genre or target-audience, a story should not resemble a rough draft full of typos.

Instead of spending so much effort on the details of the graphic sexual assaults on the female and male characters, the author should have spent more time developing the characters. For example, I don't know any guy who, regardless of how many Fleshlights he owns, would stick his member into a squid's mouth just because his boss told him to.

Despite my disgust, I have to admit the ending was pretty good - better written than the rest of the story. I gave three stars for creativity.

As always,
AstraDaemon