Gates of Hell | Horror Review

In 1935, British archaeologists vanished inside an Egyptian cave. A year later, one man returned covered in mysterious scars.

Egyptologist Imogen Riley desperately wants to know what happened to the ill-fated expedition led by her grandfather. On a quest for answers, she joins a team of archeologists and soldiers in Egypt. Inside a mountain tomb, they’ve found a technologically advanced relic and a maze of tunnels. Dr. Nathan Trummel believes this tomb leads to the most guarded secrets of the pharaohs. When the explorers venture deep into the caves, they discover a hidden world of wonder and terror.

TOMB OF THE GODS by Brian Moreland is my new favorite by this author. The story is a terrifying mix of mythology, religion, horror and science fiction. All of the characters have dark backstories which come into play as the group attempts to retrace Harlan's steps, using his journal as a guide. The variety of creatures is impressive. I love every aspect of this story, particularly the imagery towards the end.

I highly recommend this story to all readers who enjoy action-thrillers such as Stargate and Anaconda.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Another Version of Hell | Sci-Fi Book Review | AstraDaemon

Hired to investigate a violent, vampiric attack on a distant mining planet, Grayson and his fellow Vagabonds ship offworld to fulfill a desperate contract.

Regulated by glo, a super human substance injected into all Vagabonds, the team believes they are more than capable of handling the attack on their own.

Little do they know that what awaits them is beyond anything they've ever encountered, and the horror of their discovery takes them to places of unimaginable terror.

VAGABONDS by Elias Witherow claims to be the author's first science fiction novel, and, while this story is heavy with the sci-fi element, the author still delivers the nightmare landscape and hellish creatures fans have come to expect from him. In fact, if you've read THE LAST TOWER and THE FINAL SKY, you're going to love this one.

The characters have some rather dark backstories to them, and the alternating POV keeps the suspense steady from beginning to end. This is so much more than a simple invasion story, and "vampiric" doesn't even begin to describe the horrific nature of the off-worlders.

I'm quite happy with the ending as-is, but I would love a sequel focused more on the glo. Maddie tosses in an unexpected angle I'd like to see Witherow explore.

Even if you're not usually into sci-fi, I'm still recommending this one to horror fans.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Suicide or Murder?

THE OTHER ANN by Amy Cross is a dystopian story about a rift opening between two worlds, almost identical, but one has suffered an apocalypse. The survivors come through the rift, seeking refuge, and they're placed with their counterparts under the Rutherford Act. Ann, who is used to living in solitary is forced to take in her other self.

All goes well, until reports reveal some of the others are snapping and killing their host selves. Ann notices The Other Ann is acting strangely, and their case worker lets a secret slip, causing greater concern for the situation. Are their differences so significant, they are not nearly alike as they think? Or is the problem the two versions of Ann are too much alike?

The story flows quickly between the dialogue and action, and the ending, seemingly predictable, turns into one hell of a shocker. The very last scene is the most disturbing of all, in my opinion. Quite different from the paranormal stories Cross usually releases, but one of my new favorites.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Must-Read Sci-Fi Thriller

EMILY ETERNAL by M.G. Wheaton is one of the best science fiction novels I've read in a long time, and one of the most creative stories I've read this year. This thriller is told from the POV of the artificial consciousness, which is fascinating all on its own, but the idea of a five-year science experiment attempting to save humanity in some form is just wild. Basically, the author has combined a crime drama in an E.L.E. setting with a sci-fi coming-of-age battle for survival. I never expected this level of drama in any way.

I read the book in one sitting -- could not put it down. Not only did I enjoy learning about Emily and her personal growth, but the thought of all life on Earth ceasing to exist in a matter of weeks kept me hooked. Humankind possibly being wiped out without a trace of existence already made the situation extremely intense, but when terrorists attack the laboratory just as Emily discovers a secret hidden in the coding she is recording and filing, I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next.

As if all that wasn't enough, Wheaton throws in yet another shocker towards the end. I began to think the author would need to write a sequel because I couldn't imagine how everything could be resolved before the last page. I knew better than to expect a tidy ending, but I couldn't have predicted the turn of events, even if I had Emily's capacity to solve problems.

On a side note, I appreciate the author's way of describing the technology within the novel. Sometimes I avoid science fiction because some authors throw in so much detail, I feel like I need a PhD to sort it all out. Wheaton avoids overly complex explanations, while keeping everything feasible. This is definitely a novel I can recommend to a wide range of readers.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Better Off Dead

After completing a research mission six thousand light-years away, the SSC Adara and its crew are ready to return to Earth. However, their interstellar journey does not go as planned and the ship crashes on an unknown planned. Andri and his fellow survivors must find a way to get back home.

THE LAST BITE by Darren Rodriguez is a great sci-fi thriller, but the story would flow so much better with the help of an editor. The POV is first person, but lacking the emotion you'd expect from someone in that particular situation. Everything is explained, kind of like a lengthy synopsis, rather than allowing the reader to experience the nightmare as a science fiction adventure.

If the author included the POVs from the other survivors, and offered more background information about the planet and native species, I believe Rodriguez would have enough for one hell of a novella. *POSSIBLE SPOILER* My theory is the predatory aliens hunt other species traveling through wormholes. However, I'm still trying to figure out the connection to the Protela planet.

In any case, Rodriguez has the potential to become a fantastic sci-fi author if he puts more effort into character development and the details of the setting.

As always,
AstraDaemon

They're Killin' To Keep Runnin'

CONCURRENT WITH PAVLOV'S DOGS...

From breakouts in the monster lab to his role in the zombie apocalypse, follow Dr. Crispin and his team of werewolves through three eras of mad scientists, abominations, and a deadly new adversary.


...THERE WAS DOG YEARS 3: RETURN TO MOREAU LABS

Dr. Crispin’s covert team of genetic runts hunts down an old enemy at the source of the zombie outbreak.

RETURN TO MOREAU LABS by Thom Brannan and D.L. Snell is the third story in the prequel series to Pavlov's Dogs, although this one takes place during the same period of time in which Ken and Jorge (human survivors from the novel) realize the dead won't stay down. While Crispin's motivation for sending the Dogs to the mainland on a rescue mission is finally revealed, and Greco's journey circles back to the beginning of everything, the action doesn't seem as thrilling as the fighting in Dog Years 1.

However, I did enjoy seeing the gRunts in action, a nice change from the focus on Kaiser and Mac. I would love to know more about Street, the female Dog. I think she needs her own novelette, as I'm sure the authors could weave some interesting scientific differences based on her sex.

You don't need to read Pavlov's Dogs to enjoy the Dog Years, but I'm glad I read the novel first to appreciate the history of Kaiser, Mac and all the others. Not really werewolves, but a hell of a twist on the shapeshifter genre.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Kept in the Dark and Waiting

26 YEARS BEFORE PAVLOV'S DOGS...

From breakouts in the monster lab to his role in the zombie apocalypse, follow Dr. Crispin and his team of werewolves through three eras of mad scientists, abominations, and a deadly new adversary.


...THERE WAS DOG YEARS 2: PEDIGREE

The genesis of Alpha McLoughlin and Theta Kaiser is revealed, putting them in conflict with Dr. Crispin’s pet revivification project.

PEDIGREE by Thom Brannan and D.L. Snell takes place four years after the horrific incident in MOREAU LABS. Unlike the action in the first prequel, Dog Years 2 focuses on the psychological drama Kaiser and Mac must face as boys. The history of their biological mothers is revealed in bits and pieces, highlighting what kind of a twisted monster Greco is. If you thought Crispin is bad, you are in for a shocking and vile backstory.

While Pedigree isn't as long as the first novelette, the authors keep up the intensity with the manipulation displayed by both Crispin and Greco. Crispin's discovery about his partner towards the end makes for a chilling cliff-hanger.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Death Draws Near

30 YEARS BEFORE PAVLOV'S DOGS...

From breakouts in the monster lab to his role in the zombie apocalypse, follow Dr. Crispin and his team of werewolves through three eras of mad scientists, abominations, and a deadly new adversary.

...THERE WAS DOG YEARS 1: MOREAU LABS

Dr. Crispin and his arch-rival are forced to use a frightening technology when zombies break out in the monster lab.

DOG YEARS 1: MOREAU LABS by Thom Brannan and D.L. Snell, the first prequel to Pavlov's Dogs, takes place 30 years before the events in the novel. A younger Crispin is working on a reanimation virus, while his counterpart, Greco, is working on a way to control a biomutation project. Someone lets Crispin's patients escape his lab, and the virus spreads like wildfire.

Crispin attempts to rescue his lab assistant while piloting one of two Dogs created by Greco, but loses himself in the sensations of the battle against the undead lab employees. The two scientists not only get to field test their projects, but they inadvertently involve a third project.

The action is absolutely spectacular. Reading this story felt as though I was experiencing a virtual reality horror game, navigating through different levels filled with the undead and other monstrosities. I highly recommend this scifi-thriller!

As always,
AstraDaemon