Island of the Damned

Roak Island was a quiet little place, a picturesque paradise, despite the dark legends of its past. It was the sort of place that Colonel Vaughn and his elite squad of operatives never would have imagined being deployed on. 

When all communications with the island are lost, he and his men find themselves sent in to discover what has happened there and why everyone on the island has suddenly gone silent.

They will soon discover that some legends are real.

Bigfoot Island by Eric S. Brown is a brutal novella about the ill-fated mission of a special ops team. Once again, Brown portrays the North American legend as a ferocious predator, nearly unstoppable. This might upset some cryptozoologists, but it makes for a fantastic horror-thriller. Especially with the cold disregard the author shows for his own characters.

I'm impressed with how many different stories Brown has written about this species, without seeming redundant. The mix of action and quiet moments cranks the suspense, until readers get an adrenaline rush just from reading. The ending is an unexpected gut-kick.

If you enjoy folklore mixed with terror, I recommend the stories of Eric S. Brown to all horror fans.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Throwback Thursday: Sasquatch and Zombies

LAST STAND IN A DEAD LAND by Eric S. Brown is a unique blend of folklore, science fiction and horror spun into an undead thriller. Whether you read Brown’s work for the gory action, the mix of monsters, or his sick humor, readers will be quite pleased to sink their teeth into this tale.

There’s so much controversy around the nature of the undead and possible outbreak scenarios, it’s easy to forget the other monsters lurking throughout our history, but Brown has created a brutal reminder: crap can always get worse during a zombie outbreak, especially if humans aren’t the top of the food chain in the first place.

I think this is the very first story I read by Eric S. Brown, making me an instant fan. Years later, stories such as HUNTERS has kept the author on my favorites list.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Down to the Bones

PIRANHA by Eric S. Brown takes place in North Carolina. A plane carrying a military experiment goes down in a river, and a nearby small town becomes the feeding ground for a new kind of predator. After a mutilated body washes ashore, during a rain storm, the townsfolk soon find themselves caught in a flash flood filled with deadly creatures.

This novella is very much like a SyFy movie, but with the savage brutality Brown regularly unleashes on his fans. The action is gruesome, and the suspense will eat away at you. This is not your dad's underwater nightmare...this is a new reason to fear the water.

Not only do I recommend this story, I also recommend THE CAVE by Eric S. Brown.

As always,
AstraDaemon

A Good Day To Die

Canton was a quiet, little town in the middle of nowhere until the night the monsters came. The Sasquatch emerged from the woods surrounding the town to wage war upon its residents. Now only the local sheriff and a group of young geeks might have a chance at stopping the Sasquatch from drenching the streets of the town red with the blood of anyone unlucky enough to be in their path.

Day of the Sasquatch by Eric S. Brown is a brutal novella about the battle between townies and the legendary Bigfoot. The violence is graphic, the action is nerve-wracking and the outcome is devastating. Brown offers up just enough background on his characters to make each of them relatable or endearing in some way, then he splatters the pages with their brains and guts. Gotta love an author who doesn't show favor to any of his characters.

The POV rotates between the appearances and confrontations with the Sasquatch in different parts of town, revealing to readers just how screwed everyone really is. Knowing more than the various groups of people had me screaming bloody murder through most of the story. The ending is like a kick in the face, after crawling through an obstacle course full of corpses.

If you are a sensitive reader, move along because Eric S. Brown is here to remind everyone how traumatizing the horror genre can be.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Full Moon Death Brawl

HUNTERS by Eric S. Brown is my new favorite story by the author. Every time Brown comes out with another Bigfoot battle, I wonder how close he is to running out of ideas. Pretty much every one of them is a deathmatch with Sasquatch, and the legend always wins, but Brown keeps finding ways to make each scenario stand apart from the others.

I really enjoyed his Yeti story, Blood in the Snow, in which Brown throws in some unexpected extras. Hunters also has some extra elements, which are freaking fantastic! This time Brown has thrown more than one group up against the Squatch, and blended folklore and the supernatural into the bloody mix.

I'd love to see the author include more subgenres of horror in his future stories. Whether you're a fan of Brown or not, this is definitely a must-read.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Not What You Might Think | AstraDaemon

Dr. Leia Carpenter arrives aboard Sonar Platform 1 as the biggest storm of the season is closing in on the top secret research facility. Her job to confirm or debunk the results of the experiments being conducted there quickly becomes a desperate battle for survival. Carpenter finds herself pitted against not only the raging storm and enemy agents but against a prehistoric creature that should not exist- a giant Megalodon with an equally large appetite and a burning desire for vengeance against those who have held it captive.

MEGALODON by Eric S. Brown is a novella centered on a military experiment involving the prehistoric sea creature. While somewhat similar to the movie Deep Blue Sea, the author takes this into a different direction with the naval warfare aspect. I thought this would be predictable, but Brown managed to surprise me several times.

I'm used to reading the author's Bigfoot stories, but I enjoyed his take on sharks much more. I'm looking forward to reading more of Brown's sea creature features. I also recommend Brown's PIRANHA, which features a mutation of the legendary killers.

As always,

AstraDaemon

You're Going To Need More Than Beef Jerky

BIGFOOT VS. PREPPERS by Eric S. Brown is yet another deathmatch between a group of humans and the legendary creatures. While this novella offers the same formula (Bigfoot tribe attacks, humans totally screwed), Brown still manages to change up the ways the characters are brutally slaughtered. He also includes quite an assortment of personalities among the preppers.

There is one question, asked multiple times by the folks at the compound, which kept me hooked throughout the bloodshed: why didn't anyone ever see a Sasquatch during all those years they spent on the mountain? I wanted to know what triggered the hairy beasts, after so much uneventful time had gone by.

The ending had me scurrying back to the story, Day of the Sasquatch, looking for a connection. I'll admit, I haven't read Brown's Bigfoot Wars yet. Maybe a more seasoned Brown fan will be able to figure it out.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Last One Standing

NIGHT OF THE SASQUATCH by Eric S. Brown has a slightly bigger setting than most of his Bigfoot battles, including a city fortress, an abandoned armory, and, of course, the woods. The author includes more variety among his characters. Between the two elements, Brown is able to create more suspense than usual, and keeps readers guessing.

As for my thoughts: Marcus is a walking turd, Chris really does give hope, Joe has more brawn than brains, and Karen is the one I respect from beginning to end. The soldiers didn't impress me much at all. Overall, one of my favorite Brown stories.

I'm still pushing for the author to include more supernatural opponents in future stories.

As always,
AstraDaemon

When The Cold Does Bite

A military team is dispatched to locate the source of a strange radiation in Antarctica. They find far more than they bargained for and quickly become locked in a battle for survival with monsters straight out of legend.

Attack of the Yetis by Eric S. Brown is snow-covered carnage in the form of Yetis vs. soldiers. However, Brown creates his own version of this popular creature of legend, with a surprising mix of horror and science fiction. There is no joy to be found in these pages, only action and death...but the battle scenes are amazing.

I'm hoping Brown might consider writing a sequel to this novella, or maybe even a prequel. I have so many unanswered questions about these Yetis.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Get Up Out The Way

All communications with The Tarican 4 Colony, a new Earth terra-forming project, were lost. No one in Earth Gov. could explain why. A joint military/civilian team of soldiers and experts have been dispatched to investigate the sudden silence, but will they be ready for what they are about to discover?

COLONY OF THE DEAD by Eric S. Brown kept me guessing about the source of the infection. The reveal towards the end would make another great story, perhaps a prequel. While the action and suspense are fairly solid, this zombie story didn't meet my expectations for Brown.

THE GUIDE is a bonus Bigfoot story. This flash fiction piece has a very dark ending, which makes the Sasquatch look like a kitten.

NO STINKING YANKEE is a bonus zombie story in flash fiction form, a moment in the Civil War with the undead.

I'm going to assume these stories were written before Brown nailed down his writing style because all three pale in comparison to the author's recent work in the last few years.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Loch, Stock and Two Bloody Storylines | AstraDaemon

 

LOCH NESS HORROR by Eric S. Brown is a novella which mixes Nessie folklore and undead horror with Psionic elements, creating a frightening apocalyptic encounter with a terrifying leviathan. Anyone expecting this to simply be another twist on the famous cryptid is obviously not familiar with the author's writing style. Brown once again reminds readers, a terrible situation can always be made worse, especially when there's more than one monster to battle for survival.

In this case, the nightmare unfolds through two storylines, exposing how a plan to save the world from a necro-virus has fallen apart. One group attempts to make contact with an ancient creature for a cure, while the other group is overrun in their fortress. When the two POVs finally merge, characters are slaughtered on every page.

I also recommend Brown's novella THE CAVE for another dystopian-thriller.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Cost of Doing Business | Horror Story Review | AstraDaemon

DEEP TERROR by Eric S. Brown is an action-packed mix of science fiction and horror. I can think of several movies and books with scientists disturbing something evil in an ocean trench, but Brown's creatures stand out from the rest...not at all what I expected.

The in-fighting among the crew is full of suspense, but didn't interest me as much as what happens outside of the research facility. I love the battle scenes with the Silt Stompers!

Anyone familiar with Brown's writing style won't be surprised by the ending, but I'm still hoping the author might give a us a sequel. I'd like to know more about the substance being harvested.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Denial Is A Killer

BIGFOOT: ALASKA by Eric S. Brown begins with a hunting party getting slaughtered by some mysterious beasts. A search party goes missing soon after, so a third group decides to enter the danger zone to figure out what happened to the others. With the help of a local Native guide and a lifetime resident, they soon find themselves fighting creatures they thought were just folklore.

I'm amazed Brown hasn't run out of death scenes, but the author continues to keep readers guessing as he proceeds to massacre his characters, page after page. We can only hope 2020 will not include these monsters.

I also recommend PIRANHA by Brown, which offers a new twist on a familiar threat.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Fantastic Alien Creation!

INTO THE LIGHT by Eric S. Brown is such a great sci-fi apocalypse story, I wish the author had used the concept for a full-length novel, or, at the very least, a novella.The Dwellers seem like an unstoppable force, but I can't help but wonder *hinting for sequel* if Brown's Sasquatch would be able to fight off the aliens.

Brown really should consider a double creature feature, followed by a third installment, with Hugh somehow being the savior of the human race.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Hiking Into Hell

BIGFOOT TRAIL by Eric S Brown blends folklore and the supernatural into this brutal battle, setting this story apart from others in this crypto genre. The author immediately begins with the slaughter of some campers, following up with forest rangers, hikers and more, leaving readers to wonder if anyone will make it out of the woods alive.

If you're looking for deep characters or complicated storylines, move along. This is written for action fans who appreciate all the different ways Bigfoot can destroy anyone foolish enough to enter the forest of death.

I also recommend reading Brown's HUNTERS, as well.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Ouija Revenge

STRAWS by James Baaack and Eric S. Brown is a revenge story, but not as predictable as one might think. The setup is a little on the long side, and there isn't much to the characters, but the ending is great. I do wish more time had been spent on Kathie and Billy's interactions, and I would have liked the two goth girls to have more scenes as well, but the death scenes are creative.

If you're expecting anything like Brown's Bigfoot stories, you'll be disappointed, as the style is more of Baaack's. This is kind of like an 80s horror movie condensed into a short story.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Not Much Horror | Book Review

AMAZON HORROR CRUISE by Eric S. Brown is a horror novella sprinkled with mythology, but surprisingly few monsters. The way Captain Eli carries on, I expected far more problems for the crew along the river journey. The actions scenes are thrilling, but not as many I expected from the author.

Compared to Brown's previous work, this one seemed a little on the bland side. I recommend PRIMAL FORCE for a better jungle nightmare.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Trapped In Virtual Reality

THE LAST DAYS OF MYTH-REAL by Eric S. Brown is nothing like his Bigfoot stories. The premise is straightforward: the crew of a space voyager are in stasis, while their minds are hooked into a virtual reality game. Unfortunately, the AI running it has changed the parameters, and the crew is now trapped inside.

I love the blend of genres within the game...kind of like World of Warcraft mixed with Fortnite and a touch of Westworld. The characters are diverse and completely awesome, and they provide some spectacular action within the battles. Even the dialogue is exciting. Long-time fans of Brown will also love the inclusion of Squatch.

I'd love a sequel to follow-up on the ship's original mission.

As always,
AstraDaemon

School's Out Forever

THE GUARD by Eric S. Brown is one of his most action-packed Bigfoot novellas. I love the different ways the townsfolk and the soldiers kill the monsters in this one, especially the efforts of Tim and Cato. While most characters aren't around long enough to reveal much of a personality, the survivors make an impression with the various ways they fight back.

If you enjoy this story, I recommend HUNTERS and RISE OF THE YETIS, both by Brown.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Face Off | AstraDaemon

MONSTER HUNT by Eric S. Brown is more of a scifi-thriller than a true Lit RPG. The action is almost nonstop, especially with the characters choosing combat situations for each level. Unfortunately, the characters aren't very developed, so they don't seem like much of a true team.

I don't think this is the worst story Brown has ever written, but it's certainly not his best. For a better hunting theme, I recommend HUNTERS instead.

As always,

AstraDaemon