Read A Story, Help A Hero

The Somme Offensive, 1916. Harry Doyle is a young, overawed British infantryman struggling to come to terms with the insanity of war. His main objective is staying alive, and getting back home to his family in one piece. But his hopes begin to diminish when he realises the full extent of the misery and destruction around him. And the German war machine isn't the only thing he has to worry about. Something else is preying on his friends and comrades in the trenches, picking them off one by one. Something no amount of military training can prepare him for.

Proceeds from this book will be donated to the Help for Heroes foundation.

No Man's Land by C.M. Saunders is an action-packed novella about a young man's epic battle for survival in No Man's Land, between the British and German trenches, during WWI. He is tasked with doing a recon mission to discover why previous teams disappeared without explanation.

As far as war stories go, Saunders does an amazing job of capturing the psychological aspects of trench warfare, as well as humanizing a part of history on a very personal level. However, the author doesn't stop there...Saunders introduces a supernatural element to the danger Harry must face alone. With several rumours about the German soldiers having been mentioned before Harry volunteers, the nature of the enemy he engages remains a guessing game until the end.

While this story is perfectly thrilling as-is, I am hoping the author will consider a sequel...the storyline is just too damn good to be left on the battlefield. I love Saunders writing style and look forward to reading more of his work throughout the year.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Dead, Afraid and Alone

When Jerry leaves his old life in London behind and travels to Beijing to take up a teaching position, at first he is enchanted by the brave new world he finds waiting for him. However, things soon take a turn for the worse. Upon his arrival he learns of the mysterious disappearance of his predecessor, and after he moves into his new apartment he is plagued by strange dreams in which he shares the dwelling, and his bed, with a ghostly entity. Then things start going bump in the night, and Jerry soon finds himself embroiled in the kind of supernatural drama that had previously been unthinkable to him. 

An encounter with a fortune teller with a difference proves the catalyst for a new wave of terror and eventually, he is forced into the accepting the realisation that something else was waiting for him on the other side of the world, and perhaps even in the next world. What's more, his time is quickly running out. 

This is a new edition, revised version by the author. 

Bonus content: 

Inside Apartment 14F (essay)
Little Dead Girl (short story)

Apartment 14F by C.M. Saunders is one of the best ghost stories I've ever read in my entire life, particularly because of the shocking ending. I wanted to know more about the history of the ghost and her agenda, but I'm just as happy to be left wanting more. I love the way the author built up the suspense by revealing the paranormal occurrences taking place in the apartment as Jerry waits in line to see a fortune teller.

The short story, Little Dead Girl, has a major discrepancy, which disrupted the flow of the story. One minute the main character, Jeff, mentions waking up to the ghost being in his apartment, the next minute he is stating she can't follow him into his apartment. (Which is it, Saunders?) The ending is bizarre, yet somehow predictable.

There is also an essay by the author between the two short stories, explaining how Apartment 14F came into existence. I didn't read all of it...after just a few paragraphs, the essay began sucking away the enjoyment the story gave me. The essay seemed better suited for the author's website, not an addition to the content. Not sure why Saunders felt the need to discuss the history of writing a short story, in any case.

If you're a fan of Asian horror, you definitely need to read Apartment 14F.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Bushwhacked

When young lovers Nick and Maggie decide to escape the city to spend a romantic weekend camping deep in the idyllic countryside, the excursion begins well. However, it soon degenerates into a maelstrom of terror when one of them comes face-to-face with a centuries-old civil war soldier. The couple are forced to flee into the wilderness, where they become engaged in a mortal battle for survival against a group of long-dead Confederate bushwhackers.

DEAD OF NIGHT by C.M. Saunders starts out slowly, with the couple discussing Prince and reflecting on how they met, none of which is necessary. The story doesn't really kick off until Nick has to take a late night piss, which would have made a better starting point.

I didn't necessarily care about the survival of the couple, but I didn't want the bushwhackers to win, so I found myself rooting for the campers, after all. Picture Wrong Turn, but with undead soldiers, instead of inbred hillbillies, and you'll have a pretty good idea of what to expect.

The ending is a bit of a surprise, and I'm kind of hoping Saunders will turn this into a mini-series. I'd love to know why the bushwhackers won't stay dead.

As always,
AstraDaemon

The Special Project

Joe Dawson is a struggling 41-year old writer battling a serious case of writer's block. When he travels to Wales in a last-ditch attempt to reignite his career, he finds himself staying at a mysterious seaside hotel, where nothing is quite what it seems. As the secrets of his past finally catch up with him, Joe is thrust into a life or death situation where his every action could have terrible consequences.

Out of Time by C.M. Saunders took me on a ride. I honestly expected a story about an author overcoming writer's block with a near-death experience or something along those lines. For the longest time, I thought I was reading a science fiction story instead. However, once the truth is revealed, I realized Saunders had found a way to combine horror, sci-fi, and the supernatural to expose Dawson for the monster hiding behind his books.

As always,
AstraDaemon