Saturday Short: Watchers

When a mysterious noise rolls in from a neighboring town along with dense smog from a Chemical Plant explosion people begin to die.

But for Kyle Tanner and his would be friends that is the least of their worries. Trapped inside a small local grocery store they watch in horror as those left outside blister from head to toe with unimaginable sores.

And when it seems like it couldn't get any worse, this small band of survivors are forced outside to face the mutilated madness!

---

Watchers by P.A. Douglas is more like the beginning of a full-length novel rather than a complete story. I'm not sure if the author intends to turn this into a series, but I think he should. The zombies are unlike anything I've ever encountered in any previous novels. While that aspect is extremely original, the story still reminded me of The Mist by Stephen King.

Douglas wastes no time releasing the horror from above, but his choice of main character is questionable. Kyle is not a very lovable person, and I didn't necessarily care if he lived or died. I was mostly curious if he would somehow become a better man.

Not sure if I will follow up with this author or not because I was originally looking for something with a more clear ending...too many loose ends for my liking.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Today I Coughed Up A Lung

I'm letting everyone know that I haven't given up on my blog, I've just been very ill. In fact, I haven't been this sick in years. The irony is that I had to cancel a doctor appoinment twice because I didn't feel well enough to leave the house.

I had to shelve my plans for February's review posts. I have managed to get a few stories read for March, but it will probably be a few more days before I start posting reviews again.

Please check back this weekend - I have some great mystery-thriller novels to tell you about.

As always,

AstraDaemon

John Connor Returns

Fifty Percent of Infinity by John A Connor is an interesting assortment of science fiction short stories and flash fiction, with a touch of horror. I have enjoyed Connor’s work in the past, but I had mixed feelings about this particular collection:

STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT shows how alternate realities can literally cross paths.

WHAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF is an absolutely excellent story, a perfect example of Connor’s talent.

FIFTY PERCENT OF INFINITY is one of my least favorites, but remains a unique concept of mind and body.

MISSING, PRESUMED LOST is an ironic, post-apocalyptic tale.

PORTAL could be taken as either a suicide account or a tale of ascension.

LAIKA is an alien’s best friend.

DREAM, BABY has lots and lots of dialogue, but very little in the way of a plot.

YOU HAVE ONE NEW MESSAGE makes me not want to check my voicemail ever again.

AFFAIR OF THE HEART is a major transplant issue.

MISTAKEN IDENTITY is a long story about first contact.

END OF THE LINE is quite a surprise.

LIVING IN REALTIME is an example of what the imagination can do.

SLOW LANE is a fantastic twist on immortality.

END OF TERM is definitely my least favorite, and not at all what I expect from Connor.

HERE TODAY features an uncertain future.

PICK AND MIX is a time analogy.

WORLD’S END left me wondering if it is real or the best con ever.

INFORMATION OVERLOAD made no sense to me…possibly the author’s intention?

UNQUIET MEALS shows how a space journey can take its toll on the human mind.

I think the reason this anthology didn’t meet my expectations is because there is more flash fiction than short stories, and while the flashes might give readers a thought-provoking and/or entertaining moment, they don’t always deliver a story.

I do recommend that readers check out Connor’s interview here at the Lair.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Sunday Staschy

There are a lot of great short story authors waiting to be discovered. One such author that I stumbled upon in the past year is Richard Staschy. He dabbles in several genres, and I've enjoyed most of his stories so far. Two of my favorites:

The Lighthouse has some descriptions that are so graphic, I thought I was going to throw up. The flow of the story was a little erratic, but, considering how chaotic the events in the lighthouse are, one shouldn't expect a smooth ride. It did feel like walking into a movie after it already started, but it's far better than a slow setup.

Love Hurts is psychotic. Who needs enemies when you have a friend like Mr. Chips? Seriously, the monkey is worse than the clown from It. I figured out almost right away where the story was going, but I still wanted to see how exactly it would play out. The ending is brutal.

I recommend Staschy to anyone needing a quick literary fix before the weekend is over.

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

Friday Feature: Luke Duffy and Zombies

Been trying to catch up zombie series...just finished a series by Luke Duffy that I started back in 2012...

When There's No More Room In Hell introduces two brothers, Steve and Marcus, in two different countries when a flu virus ravages the world's population. One brother tries to hold up in his apartment with his daughter, until it becomes apparent that there is more to this virus than just a fatal illness, and he tries to survive with others (including his brother's family) at a safari park. The other brother, a marine now working with a private security team, realizes that he will have to journey through several hostile countries to get back to his family.

At first, I was more interested in the security team's situation, but when the two storylines begin to merge together, I was sitting on the edge of my seat, racing through pages, wondering if the brothers would ever manage to be reunited. Somehow Luke Duffy managed to take the typical zombie survival story and turn it into an action-packed family drama overflowing with all kinds of horror - not just the undead threat.

Book 2 begins just after Marcus' group is attacked in France, but the battle is sort of skipped over. While I was more interested in the security team in Book One, Steve's group becomes far more interesting in the sequel. The survivors at the Safari Park are being sabotaged, and several new characters are introduced into that particular storyline, such as Stan and Kieran who appear to be nothing more than troublemakers not taking the outbreak seriously at all. I wondered how Duffy would tie everyone together.

The development of the characters accurately reflects the passage of time. There is also a good balance of undead action and personal interactions between survivors...BUT, thinking-zombie Andy, although still a minor character, is an absolute gem within this series. No major cliffhanger - even some loose ends are tied up once and for all - but the characters' fates are left uncertain.

Book 3 begins twelve YEARS after Book 1 began, but it immediately flashes back to the experiences and eventual exodus of Safari Park. There are layers and layers of action, and a horrific slaughter of the survivors...I wasn't sure how any of them were going to make it to the end of the series with everything that goes wrong. Once again, Andy the thinking-zombie steals the show.

The last book of Luke Duffy's series has one of the best endings to a zombie series that I've ever read. The epilogue is a great addition, and the characters leave a lasting impression long after the series is over.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Is Amy Cross Losing Her Touch?

I have loved many stories by Amy Cross. I even interviewed her at the Lair. However, her latest work has been falling short of the expectations I have for Miss Cross.

The Lighthouse is not as thrilling as some of her other work, but I loved the twist towards the end (good enough for four stars). Unfortunately, the story jumps back and forth in time quite a bit, and I thought it did more harm than good to the pace of the novella. I think the story should have been told in chronological order, period. The flashback style didn't add anything extra to the suspense - it was more annoying than anything.

The Cabin begins three years previous, with a great prologue hook. However, the story tended to be predictable. I did enjoy the paranormal element, but this is not the author's best work. I think Cross relies too much on graphic violence to propel the story. The ending was the only real surprise.

I hope this is just a phase and Amy Cross returns to excellent storytelling that made me a fan in the first place.

As always,
AstraDaemon