Things Week | Unexpected Company | Flash Fiction Review | AstraDaemon

The following mss has been extracted and collated from the letters of David Marr Henderson, Chief Engineer, Imperial Lighthouse Service, written while in the employ of the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs Service, Shanghai, 1879.

Henderson has been tasked with building a remote island lighthouse in a politically sensitive spot.

Time is of the essence but something fights his every move.

Something monstrous.

Something BELOW.

THE THING BELOW by William Meikle is a flash fiction creature feature of sorts, written in a series of letters, from Henderson to his wife. Two teams are building on an island, one installing a lighthouse, the other installing a cannon. During construction, a sinkhole opens up a terrifying discovery, and the contents suggest the island may have been home to a Kaiju.

Once the lighthouse is completed, the beam reveals the thing which has been watching and waiting...highly recommended.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Things Week | Owl Thief | Short Story Review | AstraDaemon

THE THING IN THE CORNER by Mitchell Crowe is a thrilling short story, and the strange connection between Bryce and the Thing is so fascinating, I wish the author would consider giving the two characters a novella.

The additional detail of Adam hits hard...at the very least, I'd settle for a brief sequel to see the three together one more time.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Things Week | Marital Woes | Short Story Review | AstraDaemon

"The Thing on the Doorstep" is a horror short story by American writer H. P. Lovecraft, part of the Cthulhu Mythos universe. It was written in August 1933, and first published in the January 1937 issue of Weird Tales.

THE THING ON THE DOORSTEP by H.P. Lovecraft begins with a man confessing to having killed his best friend. The narrator, Upton, then goes on to explain the unusual change in his friend's behavior after Derby marries a woman named Asenath. Derby eventually confesses to Upton he believes his wife has been performing a ritual on him.

I thought this would be a zombie tale, but the turn of events is so much worse than an undead transformation. After reading this short story, I still can't believe Lovecraft's name continues to carry so much weight in the horror genre, and yet his storytelling leaves something to be desired.

I recommend reading modern stories inspired by Lovecraft instead of his poorly crafted tales.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Things Week | Sleeping Things | Flash Fiction Review | AstraDaemon

"All things were full of horror and affright,
And dreadful even the silence of the night."

Virgil
Aeneid (29–19 BC) - Book II

THE THING ON THE ROOF by Robert E. Howard is a flash fiction piece of classic horror, which appears to center around an ancient mummy, but the end reveals something much worse.

There's not much in the way of dialogue or action, but the suspense is well-done.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Monster Week | Island of Death | Horror Review | AstraDaemon

13 MONSTERS by Eric S. Brown is an oceanic creature feature packed with action and death. Billionaire Matt Drake has built his own aquatic complex to house his collection of sea cryptids, but his security team severely underestimated the dangerous intelligence of the monsters within.

A naval rescue team is sent onto the island without adequate intel, and they pay for this mistake with their lives. In fact, this novella is series of bad decisions made by the characters, resulting in a brutal variety of slaughter scenes.

If you're looking for a horror story set at sea, without the typical threat of sharks, I recommend this latest massacre from Brown.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Monster Week | Squid Vicious | Horror Review | AstraDaemon

OF MEN AND MONSTERS by Tom Deady is one of the very best stories I've read in 2021. A boy escaping an abusive father with his older brother and mother discovers his new sea pet is a vicious creature. As if this wasn't enough to deal with, he soon finds out he's not the only one with a monster in his house. Ryan eventually learns one problem can be a solution to the other, but the price will haunt him for the rest of his life.

Deady sinks his hooks into his readers and drags them below the surface of his characters, revealing the darkness each is hiding within. I highly recommend this novella to everyone, even if horror is not your preferred diversion. I would also like to add, the choice of cover illustration is perfect.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Monster Week | September Book Video | Recommended Reading | AstraDaemon

“We stopped looking for monsters under our beds when we realized they are inside us.” ~Charles Darwin



As always,

AstraDaemon