Question Everything

Rescue by Sharath Komarraju appears to take place in India. The story has several ups and downs as the tragic family history is revealed. Although the reader is led to believe Vali's mother has come back to save her from a terrible fate, the scene with the well made me question Ratna's true intentions. The conversation between the father and the doctor also had me wondering if Ratna's perception of events is a result of mental illness. The author uses misdirection to amplify the horror of uncertainty, and the choice of the girl's name, Pravallika, is the perfect touch.

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I've often wonder why readers are so quick to believe what is being revealed to them through the POV of the narrating character. Isn't it possible, for one reason or another, the character is mistaken about events? Maybe the character is lying to herself and, as a result, feeding misinformation to the reader.

I've always known, if enough time is spent with a character or a group of characters, readers become sympathetic and attached to that POV on a personal level...but I've only recently realized that readers are also likely to be biased in favor of the main POV as well.

Is it the author manipulating our emotions or is it simply human nature to choose a character to root for?

As always,
AstraDaemon

Whispers In The Dark

Voices In The Sea by N.C. Brooke is a dark spin on a creature often found in folklore, but rarely found in horror. The author uses a few slight-of-hand details to keep readers guessing, which is pretty clever, considering the story begins in the present and then travels to the past. I thought I knew which characters would be safe, but I was fooled. By the time I realized what kind of monster the author conjured up, the story finished.

Brooke did such a great job twisting mythology into a nightmare, it seems a shame this is only a short story. I think there is a potential to turn this sailor's tale into a novella.

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The first week of January appears to have a monster theme. I'm always amazed at the various sources authors use to inspire their writing. Some ideas come from news headlines, some stories are based on more personal experiences. Other authors take the fairy tales of our childhood and transform them into the nightmares that haunt us even as adults.

Nothing impresses me more than an author who can take something old and turn it into something new...always expanding the genres.

As always.
AstraDaemon

What Makes Something Evil?

Orphan Annie by Razz Popo has a great mix of suspense and action, but what I enjoyed the most is the way the author blurred the lines of what defines a monster. On one hand you have an organized sex slave ring, on the other hand you have a little girl with demonic tendencies and a creepy talking doll. In the story, a couple of pedophiles find Annie at a playground, in the middle of the night, by herself. They figure she must be from a broken home of some sort, and eventually, after some strange interaction with the child, Annie decides she wants to go back to their "funhouse" and play with them.

I love the way the author reduces the pedophiles to generic nicknames given by Annie, and there is an extra disturbing layer added when Annie's POV takes over the narration. Although it's pretty obvious Mister and Captain made a fatal mistake when they crossed paths with Annie, there is some uncertainty about Annie's blood lust, so it's not as predictable as you might think. Despite how much is revealed, Annie's true nature remains a mystery. I'd love for Popo to write another Annie story...she's one of the most fascinating characters I've ever found in horror.

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This is one of those stories that begs a closer look at how we decide what is "evil" or who is a "bad guy." I'd like to think we can all agree that raping children is evil and no one will shed a tear for the fates of Captain, Mister or any of the other sick garbage in the "funhouse." But what about Annie? Of course, I cheered as she turned the place into an epic bloodbath, but one cannot ignore what she is capable of, or her inner struggle between self-control and rage...and that doll. Let's agree for the rest of this discussion, they are all monsters.

Let's also agree that a monster is a creature which carries out horrific acts. If the monster is simply acting out it's nature, is it still evil? A vampire needs blood to survive. If it kills, are all the kills an act of evil, or does killing humans performing unspeakable acts make it okay? If a victim lives a life that we find despicable and cruel, is it murder or justice when they're killed? What does it say about us when we find ourselves cheering on a monster we would normally never want to meet?

The many questions that follow a good story are the very reason I keep coming back to this genre. To a casual observer, horror is about blood and terror, suspense and brutality. To a true horror fan, the genre is ripe with psychological and sociological aspects that explore every aspect of individuals and society...and we love a chilling thrill.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Consumed by Horror

The Consuming by Rhonda Hopkins isn't easily characterized as a ghost story or a haunted house. In fact, I think it's more a story about estrangement and denial. If you take out the paranormal elements, you have a tragic drama centered around a young woman trying to make sense of her family's buried past. Her uncle becomes a broken man due to his unwillingness to remove himself from a toxic situation, which leads to his eventual death. Unfortunately, Serena seems to suffer from the same affliction.

My only complaint is the abrupt ending. Hopkins takes readers into a dark place, filled with troubled spirits, only to abandon readers to their own conclusions. I might have overlooked this if more history had been revealed about Jesse, Edgar and Gretchen. I feel like Hopkins left me locked in the library.

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I first began reading horror in the late 1980s due to ongoing night terrors (ex: I would see corpses trying to crawl through my ground-level bedroom windows at night)...a face my fear type of decision was made by me. There has always been something cathartic about exposing my imagination the genre. Reading about different kinds of monsters keeps my monsters at a safe distance.

So, someone like Serena in The Consuming is a mystery to me. I wonder how on earth a person could choose to stay in strange house alone after seeing a corpse. I'm not even sure if I'd have the presence of mind to grab my car keys as I hauled ass out of the damned house. Hopefully, I'd have my phone to order up an Uber.

However, the big question, the deciding factor in the hauling-ass plan is: how bad does something have to be before a person is convinced the supernatural and/or unnatural threat is real?

I once asked zombiephiles if they would believe the dead had become undead before or after the zombies were breaking down their doors. Something to think about...

As always,
AstraDaemon

Cornfields Have A Bad Reputation

Lord of the Harvest by Mark Lumby joins the sub-genre of cornfield stories in horror. Although the origin story of the corn creatures remains a mystery, the build-up of suspense is excellent. Nothing like telling someone not to do something to ensure they do exactly that. Unfortunately for Richard, the townsfolk think he's crazy and his son is too concerned with financial problems to see what's right in front of him...or behind him...or reaching for him.

While I enjoyed this story, I thought too much time is wasted on Richard arguing with Ewan. I wish the author had included the incident with the local priest, maybe even included his POV to reveal what happened prior to Ewan's argument with his father.

Regardless, I look forward to reading more of Lumby's stories.

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If someone tells us, "Stay away from such-and-such restaurant, the service is lousy," we're likely to avoid the place, but if someone says, "Stay away from such-and-such place, something evil lives there," we flock like idiots with our cameras, hoping to film a video that will go viral on YouTube.

I've always wondered if it's a case of disbelief and wanting to disprove any folklore, or if it's the opposite: believing and wanting everyone else to believe as well. If it's the latter, why in the hell would you want to make some horrific discovery?

I often think reading a lot of horror stories gives people an unhealthy amount of self-confidence, leading us to believe that we'd never be that guy. We believe we're prepared for all kinds of terrifying situations because we've read so many different stories - some of us have even survived real life horror. What if that thought process is exactly what leads us into our own personal cornfield?

As always,
AstraDaemon

Self-sacrifice vs. Self-preservation

Road Trip by Elliott S. Clark is a very short story about a horrible accident that happens during a road trip and leads to an even more frightening discovery. I don't know whether to categorize this as a slasher story, a ghost story or even a zombie story...or all of the above. I like the different reactions of the four characters, but I can't help wishing the story would've continued just a little longer. I'm left with so many questions.

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What we think we would do in a situation like this and what we would actually do are usually two different things, if we're honest with ourselves. "But if we used common sense, there wouldn't be a story." True enough, but if given just two choices, save yourself or save your friends, how long would it take for you to decide?

I'd like to think that in an effort NOT to damn my soul, I wouldn't bail on my travel companions, especially if they are more than just friends (certain people in my life will always have priority over everyone and everything else). However, I wonder if there's a point where a person can call it a hopeless situation without a doubt and just cut one's losses without burning for it.

A couple of dreams I had in the past have left me questioning how well I really know myself. In one dream, some monsters were chasing me and dozens of others up a steep hill. I somehow managed to get my hands on a shotgun. Every time I had a monster in my sights, some idiot would get in the way. I did kill the monsters without shooting anyone else, but, I was so pissed off, I told the other survivors, "Next time you get in my line of sight, I will shoot through you." Nice.

In another dream, some very cruel and sadistic people were torturing another person. I stood at a distance, undetected, and thought, "Better them than me." I woke up shocked at how easy it was to come to that conclusion. I felt zero guilt in the dream...and yet, when I'm awake, I can't stomach the thought of doing nothing if someone is being victimized in some way nearby.

I think I have it all figured out, until I read a story like Road Trip, and I have mixed feelings. Part of me curses the character who bails on her friends, while another part of me cheers on her self-preservation.

Last but not least, how did corn fields get such a sinister reputation anyway?

As always,
AstraDaemon

New Year, New Review Format

Midnight Monster by Ashlie Harris is a flash fiction piece which is surprisingly entertaining. Perfect reading for the current freezing temps, actually. Very little is revealed about the victim or the monster, but the terror of being chased from one hopeless situation into another equally hopeless situation is more than enough to feed the imagination.

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This year I'm going to be trying out a new review format in hopes of generating some discussions in the comments section, or, at the very least, generate some deep thoughts within my viewing audience. I began writing reviews because I wanted to share my reading experiences, but somehow I let my reviews devolve into glorified book reports.

I became so focused on describing the stories and commenting on the authors' writing styles, I left out the best part of reading: projecting myself into the dreams and nightmares the authors create. I react to the characters as if I knew them personally. I decide what I would do in their places. I judge, I problem-solve, I scream and curse when the characters deviate from my own reactions and decisions. I never ever simply read any story...flash fiction, novels, series...they're all destinations and they all deserve more than a postcard review.

That said...

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I always wonder what kind of exposure the characters of a story have had to the horror genre. Does fictional horror even exist within a horror story? I ask because I'm wondering what in the hell the main character in Midnight Monster thought could be accomplished by yelling at the scary noises...or throwing a hairbrush. If something ungodly showed its face at my window, I wouldn't wait for it to make its way into my bedroom. I wouldn't run to someplace isolated and hope for the best.

Sometimes I'm not sure if the monsters in these stories are that frightening, or if the terror comes from "watching" characters practically commit suicide with their lack of critical thinking skills. Many of these characters seem like "fork in a toaster" type. We know it's not going to end well, but we can't look away.

As always,
AstraDaemon