Re-education | Book Review | AstraDaemon

THE SAMARITAN by Dave Jeffery is the third installment in a series about a meningitis mutation which causes deafness. Those born deaf (Harbingers) are blamed for the virus, and those who retain their hearing (Harks) are forced into slavery for those survivors who have become deaf after contracting the disease. Cathedral is one of the settlements which victimizes both Harbingers and Harks, while forbidding the use of sign language. Last but not least, the Samaritans patrol beyond the walls for supplies and survivors. The first two stories can be read in any order, but I recommend reading both of them before this third novella.

This one hit me harder than the others in the series. You know you're going to be a mess by the end when you're covering your own mouth to stop the screams. The experiences of the main character are a study of coercive persuasion in multiple forms. Jeffery couldn't have shocked me more if he took a crowbar to my knees. The ending absolutely floored me.

I highly recommend this series to all readers, not just horror fans...and keep in mind, the author wrote the first book BEFORE the pandemic.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Perception | Anthology Review | AstraDaemon

 

FROM THE DEPTHS: TERRIFYING TALES by Richard Saxon is a mix of fan favorites and never-before-published exclusives...

THE OCEAN IS MUCH DEEPER THAN WE THOUGHT: terrifying creature feature with fantastic suspense involving the Tonga Trench

I WOKE UP DURING SURGERY. THEY WEREN'T TRYING TO SAVE ME: a sci-fi flash fiction piece

WE HAVE BEEN GUARDING AND EMPTY ROOM FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS. TODAY WE FOUND SOMETHING INSIDE: somewhat predictable with a rather dark ending

I'M A PSYCHIATRIST THAT DEALS WITH THE SUPERNATURAL: a unique twist on possession

MY JOB IS TO WATCH PEOPLE DIE: something much different than a grim reaper tale

THE RUSSIANS DUG THE WORLD'S DEEPEST HOLE. NOW I KNOW WHY: one of my favorites, a sinister combo of science fiction and horror

IF THE SKY GOES DARK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY, HIDE: another favorite, a mind-blowing mix of science fiction and horror, kind of like Ray Bradbury and HP Lovecraft tripping out together in the woods

THEY LOCKED DOWN THE HOSPITAL I'M STAYING AT: one of the most horrifying stories in the collection, with extremely grotesque abominations

STAY AWAY FROM THE OCEAN. IT ISN'T SAFE ANYMORE: a creature feature with a tragic ending

EVERY YEAR ON MY BIRTHDAY, I HAVE TO DIE: like an episode of Twilight Zone, not necessarily scary, but extremely disturbing

A MAN KNOCKED ON MY DOOR AT MIDNIGHT, HE GAVE ME A HORRIBLE CHOICE: this one made me really angry, not happy with the abrupt ending at all

MY FAVORITE TWITCH STREAMER JUST DIED. HE'S STILL ONLINE: one of the most frightening explanations of the afterlife

MY OLD HOME VIDEOS SHOWED ME A LIFE I NEVER LIVED: by the time I reached this story and finished reading it, I began to wonder how the author lives with such morbid creations in his head

I HAVEN'T SLEPT IN 3 MONTHS: a supernatural flash fiction piece, another favorite

RAINFALL: much longer than the others, depressing as hell and a terrible reminder of current events

I FREED AN UNKNOWN ENTITY FROM AN ABANDONED MINE. I'M SO SORRY: has a connection to one of the earlier stories and I freaking LOVE it

ANGELS AREN'T BEAUTIFUL: a coming of age story colored with pain and suffering

ARBOR VITAE: absolutely tragic flash fiction

LISTEN TO THE SOUNDS OF YOUR OWN EXTINCTION: another one connected ever so slightly to a previous story

Not strictly a horror collection, but every story is entertaining in its own way.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Real Talk | Book Review | AstraDaemon

THE ONLY GOOD INDIANS by Stephen Graham Jones is a slow read. This is the first story by this author I didn't enjoy much. While I love the idea of an elk spirit looking for vengeance, and I appreciate the struggles of Native Americans (Blackfeet) both on and off the reservation, the writing style is very different from other books by Jones. The alternating POV seems disjointed more often than not, but I think the bigger issue is cultural.

I lived in a small town in South Dakota with a reservation on either side of us, and at least half the students, if not more, were Sioux. (Many of the other small towns had even more Native students than we did.) My family includes Yankton Sioux (by marriage), and my Sioux friends often shared their experiences growing up Native in the Dakotas with racism, alcoholism, and many other issues. Despite my own interactions with their culture/heritage, I think I'm too white to really appreciate this book.

I've always enjoyed novels with cultural themes, especially the ones which highlight personal struggles within a particular society...and, while I know people who can relate to these characters, I can't. I'm no stranger to the slang, which some readers complain about, but I'm never going to know what it is to feel too Native to fit in with whites, and yet feel a disconnect to the traditional ways of my own tribe. I can remember a friend studying his own Native language in college because he was denied the opportunity in his younger years...but, remembering someone else's pain and living it are not even close to being the same.

Even though I don't think this a horror novel as much as a family drama, with some coming-of-age moments, I am still recommending this. I think we need to make an effort to listen to the voices of authors from different cultures, even if we don't understand.

I also recommend WAIT FOR THE NIGHT and THE NIGHT CYCLIST for more terrifying horror pieces by SGJ.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Growing Within | Book Review | AstraDaemon

Evil is invisible, and it is everywhere.

That is the only way to explain the series of misfortunes that have plagued the wagon train known as the Donner Party. They cannot seem to escape tragedy...or the feelings that someone--or something--is stalking them...the ninety men, women, and children of the Donner Party are heading into one of one of the deadliest and most disastrous Western adventures in American history.

As members of the group begin to disappear, the survivors start to wonder if there really is something disturbing, and hungry, waiting for them in the mountains...and whether the evil that has unfolded around them may have in fact been growing within them all along.

THE HUNGER by Alma Katsu was suggested by a good friend (and fellow horror fan), and I am so very glad I read this novel. The author blends historical fiction with folklore, horror and family drama, resulting in a very believable retelling of the Donner Party demise. I love the inclusion of issues such as racism, misogyny, and bigotry towards homosexuality, making the characters more relatable, despite the time period.

Most of all, I am impressed by the science behind the evil, rather than resorting to another twist on the Wendigo trope. My friend pointed out the similarity to the movie Ravenous, and I agree, although the suspense in this story is far more spectacular than any film with this theme.

I highly recommend this novel.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Schmuck | Short Story Review | AstraDaemon

THE DEMON'S ACCOMPLICE by Joshua Scribner features a common trope about a husband wanting to punish his friend and wife for having an affair. However, he soon finds out the situation is not what it seems.

Too simplistic for Scribner's talent. He had the bad guy monologuing, for crying out loud.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Long-Winded | Short Story Review | AstraDaemon

UNSEEN by Mitchell Crowe reminds me of the movie Fallen, but from a clinical POV. The narrator takes forever to get to the heart of the story. Seems like the author attempted to write in the style of Lovecraft, but lacked the depth.

This is the worst Crowe story I've read yet. The only one I can recommend is EYE OF THE BEHOLDER.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Hunger Pang | Short Story Review | AstraDaemon

THE CHILDREN IN THE WALLS by JT Lawrence is a dark short story. I had an idea what the author had planned, but the ending still gut-punched me.

It's been a few years since I've read anything by this author, but Lawrence still has a talent for blending suspense and personal drama.

As always,

AstraDaemon