Throwback Thursday: Not Enough Action

14 by Peter Clines isn't anything like his Ex series or The Junkie Quatrain. Not only is this story zombie-free, but there isn't nearly as much action as Clines usually delivers - at least not in the first two thirds of the novel.

Don't get me wrong, this was a solid effort by the author, but I was so discouraged by the length of the setup, I would have been tempted to quit the book if it had been written by someone other than Peter Clines. I enjoyed his other novels so much that I was sure if I stuck it out, I could count on a fabulous ending, and I wasn't wrong...but I was literally 64% into the story before the story really grabbed me.

I can't even say that it was necessary for the story to develop at such a slow pace. The main character, Nate, moves into an apartment with rent that is too good to be true. Eventually, he notices some peculiar traits about the building. The problem is that many of the discoveries are made through interactions with his neighbors, which became tedious after the first few encounters, and the odd characteristics of the individual apartments were introduced too far apart to be considered an effective hook. Also, there are brief POVs from some of Nate's neighbors, and I felt the flickering perspectives weakened the storyline, rather than enhancing it.

On the other hand, once I was two-thirds through the book, I had that "Hell, YEAH!" moment, where I realized that 14 wasn't going to be like anything I've ever read before...and that is when Clines' creative flow once again takes his readers on a thrilling ride through bizarre sequence of events that made me think HP Lovecraft would have been right at home in that apartment building.

I think if readers approach this book as a horror-mystery, rather than an action-thriller, they will be find the effort of slogging through Nate's investigation of his apartment building worthwhile. Many of the unfolding details will seem surreal with disturbing moments that will put ice in your veins; in the end, everything you love about horror, mystery and cult fiction will be found in abundance.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Need A Fix?

Six months ago, the world ended.

The Baugh Contagion swept across the planet. Its victims were left twitching, adrenalized cannibals that quickly became known as Junkies. Civilization crumbled as people created isolated safe havens to hide from the infected... and the possibly-infected.
Now, as society nears a tipping point, lives will intersect and intertwine across two days in a desolate city. THE JUNKIE QUATRAIN is four tales of survival, and four types of post-apocalypse story. Because the end of the world means different things for different people. Loss. Opportunity. Hope. Or maybe just another day on the job.

The Junkie Quatrain by Peter Clines proves the author is a master of post-apocalyptic fiction. Not only does he know how to create thrilling suspense situations, Clines also has an impressive talent for manipulating POVs, carefully crafting detailed pieces of a four-dimensional puzzle. Make sure you read the intro because it provides some fabulous insight into the stories.

One story features a woman who prefers to travel alone & yet she envies the pack mentality of the infected. Her description of the Junkies made me think of cannibals on crack, suffering from a disease like rabies. Another story follows a group of "outsiders," who leave their sanctuary on a supply run; they cross paths with something more deadly than the Junkies. (Clines had me guessing until the very end.) A third story centers on a doctor, revealing the source of the Junkie infection & a dark secret at the sanctuary that serves as a home base for the outsiders. The final story is a thought-narrative by a lone survivor who doesn't like to share...but I was surprised that he didn't recognize another survivor from a pre-apocalypse encounter...I think if he had, it would had added more depth to that particular moment in the story.

The Junkies Quatrain will leave readers begging for another fix. I will definitely "roll the dice" the next time I revisit this unique collection.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Let's Explore Time Travel...

Times of Trouble Anthology
edited by Lane Adamson
345 pages
$5.99 Kindle version

While I appreciate a good science fiction story every now and then, I'm not really a fan of the genre...and I'm even less of a fan of the sub-genre of time travel. So, imagine my absolute SHOCK that, not only did I enjoy this anthology, I had nightmares and weeks of extremely vivid dreams because of this particular story collection. That has NEVER happened before...not for so long, with such intensity. I give full credit to the authors - I would call them highly imaginative, but that would be an understatement.

HIROSHIMA SUNFLOWERS by Stephen Gaskell has an emotional depth that I would never expect in this genre.

PREVIOUS by David Gullen gave me mixed feelings: in the beginning, I hated the characters, hated the sterile environment of the future, but, towards the end, I loved the characters and their interaction with the past.

THE SCAVENGER by Michael C. Lea is a great interaction of multiple time-travelers...the disruptive timelines, the squid...outstanding imagery - hell, even We Will Rock You was a small detail that made a huge impression. Definitely one of my favorites.

LITTLE GIRL LOST by Jeff Drake is a mix of Hellraiser and Lovecraft.

A TORNADO IN TIME by Craig DiLouie has a great explanation of time travel consequences; one of the best stories in the anthology.

LET ME TAKE YOU THERE by Rakie Keig is a touching love story. Absolutely a five star story!

TO RUN INDEFINITELY by Brian P. Easton is another story that stands out. I thoroughly enjoyed the perspective of the character, Oris.

THE GRANDFATHER CLAUSE by Jason S. Hornsby is depressing beyond words.

TEMPUS FUGITIVE by Rob Pegler and Thom Brannan is a story of exploitation.

MANDATORY WAITING PERIOD by Aaron Polson is one hell of a family feud!!

SCREWING CHRISTA by Wayne Helge is one of the most twisted stories in the collection, and also one of the best.

FORGETTING by Frank Farrar focuses more on our perception of the past.

DECOHERENCE by Mark Harding is another favorite...I loved all the storylines!

HOUNDED by Joshua Reynolds is a dark and twisted mindscrew.

THE TRANSCENDENTAL MAN by Timothy Martinez has an ending that I found to be quite pleasing.

RABID SEASON by Matthew Baugh is freaking HILARIOUS!!

MULLIGAN by Peter Clines is simply BRILLIANT and sure to be a favorite with all readers.

FACES OF NEFERTITI by Ruth Nestvold is another five star story that I would like to see turned into a full-length novel.

BIODEGRADABLE by Gregory L. Norris truly stood out from all the others in the collection.

THE TIME TRAVELER'S LATE WIFE by Stan Timmons is a ZOMBIE story!!

A HATFUL OF YESTERDAY by Lane Adamson has a confusing ending that I'm still trying to work out...

AMONG FLOWERS AND BONES by Frank Summers is a quiet ending to the anthology.

Honestly, you don't even have to be a fan of science fiction to appreciate the creativity that went into each and every one of these stories. It's a fantastic mix of authors, and will most likely be my top pick of anthologies for 2015.

As always,
AstraDaemon