Monday Murder: Two Stars [Review]

Let me start by saying that I rarely give reviews below three (out of five) star reviews, but it happens, and it sucks for both the author and me, the reader. I don't ever have the same expectations for short stories that I do for full-length novels, or even anthologies, but, at the very least, I expect to be entertained.

The Midnight Dinner Party by T.G. Emmerson is a story of revenge...except the revenge doesn't even really take place. So many problems with this piece...reads like a rough draft, for one. Story of revenge isn't very original, for another. Worst yet, the damn thing ended with "to be continued...," as if anyone would bother. None of the characters were developed at all...no reason to feel sympathy for the victim's family, no reason to care what happens to the group of attackers. The author needs to find a better way to hook readers and keep them interested. As for me, I'm moving on to better stories...

As always,
AstraDaemon

Sunday Suspense: Renfro's Lot [Review]

The Lot by Anthony Renfro is an extremely entertaining short story. The hook is immediate, the suspense is spectacular and the ending is swift and vicious. I was pleased just to have found that story, but Renfro also included two more.

A Zombie Christmas is humorous in a dark way. Very original. I loved it. Coupled with The Dead of Winter (I’ll be having nightmares), this story bundle would make the perfect gift for a horror fan who doesn’t have much free time for reading.

Renfro has a talent for packing a lot into just a few pages, so be sure to read his work.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Saturday Squids [Review]

If you were entertained by the kraken in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, and engaged by the huge find in Discovery Channel’s Colossal Squid special, you are sure to be interested in Here There Be Monsters: The Legendary Kraken and the Giant Squid. Author HP Newquist takes the reader on a journey from the legendary monster that preys on unsuspecting sea vessels to the discoveries of the giant squid and, most recently, the colossal squid.

In the prologue, Newquist depicts a personal encounter with the mythological beast and continues on to describe the various tales of sea serpents from around the world. Newquist explains why cartographers marked the unexplored regions of their maps with the ominous warning, “Here Be Dragons,” or similar phrases. The author also describes the reasons most stories about the strange beasts were dismissed as the ramblings of men too long at sea.

As Newquist guides the reader through the history of these myths, he progresses from sailors’ accounts of demonic creatures attacking ships to the first attempts by scientists to officially name and classify the enormous organisms. Many naturalists believed that the source of the legend was based on oversized specimens found washed up on beaches. Scientists were determined to find evidence that there was such a thing as the giant squid. Eventually, researchers came to suspect that there was another, larger species of squid – deadlier than the giant squid.

In addition to the stories and scientific research, Newquist includes illustrations and photographs of everything that is discussed in the book, including still pictures of live giant squid, and the recovered body of a colossal squid featured on the Discovery Channel. There is also a bibliography and links listed for further information at the end of the book. Lastly, the author poses the question, “Could there be bigger ones that we have yet to discover?”

As always,
AstraDaemon

Friday Fiction: Spiral [Review]

Spiral by Martin Fossum was a random short story selection. A guy and his girlfriend decide to relocate to a different city and, even with a positive beginning, the main character soon finds himself on a downward spiral. While nothing too out of the ordinary takes place, there is just enough mystery to keep a reader hooked until the end. I expected something supernatural to happen, but Fossum proves that real life problems are dark enough.

If you are looking for a quick read to pass the time in a waiting room or a short bus ride, Spiral is a solid piece of fiction.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Throwback Thursday: Dante's Backstory

Most people in the literary community are familiar with Dante’s Inferno in some way. If you haven’t read this volume of The Divine Comedy, you may have seen the commercial for the video game Dante’s Inferno Divine Edition, which is based on the epic poem by Dante Alighieri. It is a story that describes the nine circles of Hell (limbo, lust, gluttony, avarice & prodigality, wrath & sullenness, heresy, violence, fraud, and betrayal), as conceived by the medieval age, beginning with the day before Good Friday in 1300 A.D.


Dante wrote The Divine Comedy during his exile from Florence. Until recently, no one knew for certain where he had been or what he had done during those years away from his home. However, author Kim Paffenroth (who also happens to be a professor of religious studies), wrote a book titled Valley of the Dead (The Truth Behind Dante’s Inferno) which tells the tale that inspired Dante to write his poem of horrors. In a captivating prologue, Paffenroth presents us with the story of how Dante survived a zombie plague, illuminating the lessons that the poet learned.

Don’t let the mention of zombies fool you into thinking this is just a gore novel with a twist. Unlike the spliced-together novel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Paffenroth has written an original narrative with a style comparable to classical literature, bringing together historical fiction, drama and horror to chronicle Dante’s personal account of the pestilence and human suffering that inspired Inferno. Don’t expect the same zombies or character types that can be found in Paffenroth’s Dying to Live: Life Sentence, the second in his zombie series based on a group of people surviving an apocalypse in a museum.

In VALLEY OF THE DEAD, Dante stumbles upon a village in the midst of an epidemic that is unknown to him. There he meets a pregnant woman named Bogdana, and together they travel west into a valley, attempting to escape an army that believes destroying all of the towns it finds is the only way to stop the spread of infection. Along the way, they are joined by an army deserter and a monk, and the four of them soon form the opinion that the survivors are the ones that are cursed, not the undead. Some of the most frightening and disheartening moments of the book are the exploits of the living, and not the zombies as one might think.

This novel digs deep into the human soul, and exposes all the nobility and ugliness that people are capable of. It goes beyond the bloodshed of most zombie literature, and provides some insight into the theology of Dante, one of the greatest literary icons of the Western world. Paffenroth is certain to grab the attention of the academic crowd with Valley of the Dead.

As always,
AstraDaemon

To Be Or Not To Be...Cloned

Double, a short story by Tuulia Saaritsa, was a random selection…and completely awesome. When I read the description about a clone experiment, the sci-fi aspect appealed to me. Saaritsa manages to convey a very emotional personal experience in just a few pages. The interaction between the two clones is, at times, controversial, and addresses many issues that might arise from such a scientific endeavor. Tuulia Saaritsa is officially on my radar, and I think many readers will enjoy this dark and dramatic tale, whether or not you're into science fiction.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Second Chance Gone Wrong

Caught by Lisa Moore piqued my curiosity: a novel featuring a drug smuggler, marijuana to be specific, recently escaped from prison and stupid enough to try it again. Last year I read a novel, Mules, a fictional account of the brutality within the drug trade, and I thought Caught might be something like that. Nope. Moore does a great job of writing about a common subject, but with an original voice and style that stands out in this particular sub-genre.

David Slaney, a 25 year old Canadian convicted of marijuana possession, busts out of his cell, evades the cops and tracks down his business partner, only to find himself attempting the same job he was arrested for in the first place. His character comes across as an intelligent guy, but he seems hellbent on making one bad decision after another. However, Slaney has some amazing luck ditching the authorities every time they get close to nabbing him again. The 1970s setting really captures the atmosphere surrounding this endeavor.

There's a heavy sadness that weighs over Slaney, living in his secret world with fake identities and relationships that fall apart as a result of his life choices. But, what really makes the main character fascinating is the tapestry of complications and emotional conflicts which eventually lead to a rather quiet, understated ending.

If you enjoy well-written fiction, simply for the pleasure of a solid story, I recommend taking a chance on Caught.

As always,
AstraDaemon