LZR-1143: Within - Bryan James

Title: LZR-1143: Within
Author: Bryan James
Genre: Horror
Published: 2012
Formats: Ebook

Available at:
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Amazon UK

Review:
LZR-1143: Within is a Novella which introduces the reader to the LZR-1143 series of zombie novels which were written by Bryan James. It follows a group of people who are trapped in their place of employment as society collapses around them. This novella is quite short and is quite clearly published as a way to entice readers into delving into the full series. The issue I have is that it did not work for me at all and I can't say I have any burning desire to go and buy the rest of the novels.

Don't get me wrong the novella has some good points, as Bryan James does create some believable characters and the scene setting elements were well constructed. It just took too long to get into the action and whilst the characters were believable, they were lacking in depth. If the novella had been lacking in character depth but quicker into the action elements or vice versa then it may have worked better for me.

The biggest issue though is in the lack of originality, there is nothing here which hasn't been covered in many other zombie stories before. I appreciate that it gets harder to find something new in this sub-genre but without it I don't have a reason to read this over any of the other books out there. However, the novella is available for free on Amazon so there is no harm in giving it a go and perhaps you may find something there which I missed and decide to pick up the other stories.

The Zombie Generation - Drake Vaughn

Title: The Zombie Generation
Author: Drake Vaughn
Genre: Horror
Published: 2012
Formats: Paperback/Ebook

Available at:
Amazon
Amazon UK

Review:
"The Zombie Generation" by Drake Vaughn is an interesting take on the post-apocalyptic zombie genre. The story follows Warner, a survivor who is trying to stay alive in a world overrun by infected people whom he calls "Buggers". What makes things even worse for Warner is that he is quite clearly losing his grip on reality. He is tormented by hallucinations and is no longer sure what is actually real and what isn't.

This novel was anything but a standard zombie story, the zombies themselves were very unique with features such as an obese bodies, a love of alcohol, and the fact that they sleep in piles which can reach the height of a building. In addition, Warner's weak grasp of reality actually leads the reader on an intriguing psychological journey which I found to be just as unique as the zombies themselves. Warner's hallucinations result in him being the epitome of an unreliable narrator which kept me wondering if what was happening was actually real or not.

In regards to the characters, the book is centred around Warner and his life alone so unless you feel like an overweight, alcoholic zombie, I suspect he is the only characters that a reader can actually relate to. I felt that Vaughn has done a great job in bringing him to life as everything he does comes across as natural. His choices and actions were realistic, especially when you consider the world he has survived and how well his sanity is holding up. I actually gave a damn about him as the main characters which is something I always appreciate in a book.

My only real issue with the book is that the plot could be a little bit slow at times. This was exacerbated by some of the background information that Vaughn decided to include in the story. Don't get me wrong, I like to know about the history of a world but not when seemingly unrelated and overly detailed points cause the story to actually drag.

Overall, I did find this story entertaining enough with the rather different take on the zombie genre keeping me intrigued from start to finish. I can imagine that some people may dislike the unreliability of Warner's narrative but this is the very thing which helps give it a unique feeling.

Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury

Title: Something Wicked This Way Comes
Author: Ray Bradbury
Genre: Horror
Published: 1962
Formats: Hardback/Paperback/Ebook

Available at:
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Review:
“Something Wicked This Way Comes” is a dark fantasy tale written by Ray Bradbury which follows the adventures of Jim & Will, two teenage boys who live next door to each other in a run of the mill small town. When a carnival comes to town, their initial excitement soon leads to trepidation as there is a sinister felling which pervades the carnival and its owner Mr Dark. When the boys witness some magical aspects of the merry go round their lives are put under threat as they try to avoid Mr Dark and his rather eerie “employees” who are hunting them down.

The plot itself is reasonably enjoyable, nothing truly remarkable but it was at times mildly creepy and entertaining. The real selling point however is the focus the novel gives to the theme of aging. It takes an intriguing look at people’s psyche in regards how adolescents dream of being older whilst the middle-aged wish for youth. It takes a gentle swipe at how humanity can sometimes put too much stock in their age and therefore miss out on what they can and should be enjoying each day.

There were a couple of issues that I did note regarding the writing itself. First up the prose used hasn’t aged very well and it was very obvious to me that the book was written many decades ago which does limit the ability of a reader to get fully immersed in the story. On its own I probably wouldn’t have noticed this that much except for the fact that Bradbury loves to use a fair amount of poetic and descriptive imagery. This just slowed the plot down to the point that I found some of these extended descriptions to be rather tedious. If you enjoy reading books that are written in pretty and lyrical styles like this then I am sure you will love it, but to me it was just a distraction.

Overall, “Something Wicked This Way Comes” is a reasonably entertaining novel that takes an interesting look at humanity’s obsession with aging. However, Bradbury’s style of writing with its description and dated prose could be a little bit too much for some readers.

The Three - Sarah Lotz

Title: The Three
Author: Sarah Lotz
Genre: Horror
Published: 2014
Formats: Hardback/Paperback/Ebook

Available at:
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Review:
“The Three” by Sarah Lotz is mainly described around the internet as a horror novel although after reading it, I would say that it would be more apt to describe it as an interesting cocktail of multiple genres. It basically contains facets of mystery, horror, thriller and religious literature whilst also trying to maintain some semblance of realism.

The story starts with four plane crashes happening almost simultaneously across the globe. Three children are the only survivors and their very survival seems to be miraculous, resulting in some rather intriguing theories. So the plot follows the children, their families and some external forces who are very interested in how and why the children survived.

As I said earlier, the book does include a lot of elements from other genres but there is still an overall tone of horror present throughout. However, this isn’t the type of horror that includes gore or shocks; it is the type that provides the reader with a creepy undertone and a sense of unease about what may really be happening.

In regards to the style of the writing, well everything is told in the manner of a documentary with various books, newspaper articles, interviews and recordings being used to tell the story. It was an interesting style which helped to give the book a sense of realism and provide the reader with multiple points of view from which to understand the various events. However, this factual documentary style meant that emotional engagement with the characters was rather limited and I therefore didn’t really care much about any of them.

My main issue with the novel was probably the pacing. It started off wonderfully, with the plane crashes, the initial responses and the foreshadowing of tragedy that was going to unfold. The pace then changed and the plot slowed to a crawl with very little movement in the story and various plot lines that didn’t really add anything valuable to the story. It actually became a chore to read and then when you get to the ending it doesn’t even reward you properly for getting to it.

The ending was quite simply irritating in the extreme. After dragging on the story for so long the reader is then given an open and ambiguous ending. Was it terrorists, aliens, the four horsemen, plain happenstance or something completely different? I don’t know and because of this I feel incredibly cheated. I now know there is a sequel novel but I don’t know if I can face reading it as I worry that Lotz will follow the same method and continue to leave out some form of final pay-off!

Overall, it is an interesting enough story and I thoroughly enjoyed the initial portion of the book before it began to drag on. There is a lot of potential here but there was a fair bit of filler present which should have been cut by the editing team. If the novel had been a bit sharper and quicker I could probably have also forgiven the rather open ending but instead I slogged through the 2nd half of the novel and received little reward.

Hell's Teeth (The Vetala Cycle Book 3) - G.R. Yeates

Title: Hell's Teeth (The Vetala Cycle Book 3)
Author: G.R. Yeates
Genre: Horror
Published: 2012
Formats: Ebook

Available at:
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Amazon UK

Review:
“Hell's Teeth “by G.R. Yeates is the third book in the Vetala cycle, a rather dark and quite surreal collection of horror novels. Again Yeates has focussed on WWI but this time he has decided to use the Eastern Front as the basis of his story with the Anzac forces being pushed back by the Turks at Gallipoli. In this chaotic place is Tom Potter who must deliver messages between the various commanding officers. However, on one mission he finds himself lost and enters an underground lair where the Vetala are waiting. Whilst Tom manages to escape his respite is only temporary and before long his own personal nightmare begins.

So, the first thing I noticed about this book is that it felt less structured than the previous novels. The reader is dragged quickly into a story that loops back on itself multiple time and jumps between different points in the protagonist’s life. As the story can become rather surreal and quite intense in the visions of horror it portrays it wasn’t always easy to know where I was in the story. The reader really has to concentrate and stay fully engaged with the story or they could easily get lost.

As with the other books in the series, Yeates has created a very dark and bleak world in the novel. It is incredibly atmospheric and the rather surreal and confusing feel of the plot helps to enhance the feeling that you are watching a real journey into hell. I will admit that by the end of the novel the constant barrage of dark horror along with the concentration required to understand what was actually going on did leave me feeling a bit drained.

The writing itself is very poetic and descriptive which has become a sort of hallmark style of Yeates. The beauty of his writing wonderfully supplements and enhances the very dark and terrifying story he is telling. Without doubt Yeates’ prose has been a real plus point to this series and his writing has at times reminded me of H.P. Lovecraft.

Overall, this is another dark atmospheric horror story from Yeates that competently completes the Vetala cycle of novels. I have to say that the rather unstructured nature of the book meant I didn’t enjoy it is as much as the other novels but it was still entertaining enough. Once again, if you enjoy dark and surreal horror novels then I am happy to recommend this this book and the rest of this series.

Shapes in the Mist (The Vetala Cycle Book 2) - G.R. Yeates

Title: Shapes in the Mist (The Vetala Cycle Book 2)
Author: G.R. Yeates
Genre: Horror
Published: 2011
Formats: Ebook

Available at:
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Amazon UK

Review:
Horror novel “Shapes In the Mist” by G.R. Yeates is the second novel in his “Vetala Cycle” series of novels which was kicked off with the author’s debut novel “The Eyes Of The Dead” which I reviewed here. The story again starts during the horrors of WWI with American fighter-pilot Jerry Reinhart being the main character. Jerry is a master pilot but even he can’t survive a fight against notorious German ace, Baron Von Richtofen and is therefore forced to ditch in a forest. He manages to scramble from his downed aircraft but soon witnesses strange and haunting shapes in the most before finally losing consciousness. However, his return to London amongst the wounded coincides with the emergence of a number of horrifically gruesome murders that seem to imply the infamous Jack the Ripper has returned. Before long he is drawn into a nightmarish adventure where he attempts to understand what may have followed him from the Western Front.

Once again Yeates showcases his intensely dark and atmospheric writing abilities with this sequel. His descriptive and poetic phrasing which he uses to visualise some rather surreal and disturbing images really helps to increase the feeling of unease felt by the reader as they work through this depressing and chilling piece of literature. I think the actual gore and splatter is toned down a little bit when compared to the previous novel, “Eyes of the Dead” but that doesn’t reduce the feeling of horror which is brought out by the bleak and downbeat plot.

One of my biggest issues with the previous novel is that I wasn’t able to fully understand what was going on as the book flitted between reality and surreal hallucinations. This time I am happy to say that everything came together much better and I was able to follow the plot without getting lost. There is still the surreal dark imagery, bleak foreshadowing and oppressive atmosphere but this time everything is brought together in a much more satisfying experience.

Overall, this is an excellent example of oppressive, surreal and bleak horror fiction. The novel’s downbeat narrative continues to sap at the spirits of the reader right up to the intense final scene all ably enhanced by Yeates’ wonderful imaginative and poetic prose. If you want to get lost in dark imagery and surreal bleak storylines then this horror novel is something you should try to obtain.

The Night Eternal (The Strain Book 3) - Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan

Title: The Night Eternal (The Strain Book 3)
Author: Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan
Genre: Horror
Published: 2011
Formats: Hardback/Paperback/Ebook

Available at:
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Amazon UK

Review:
“The Night Eternal” by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan is the 3rd and final book in the Strain trilogy and follows on a couple of years after the evens of the second book in the series entitled “The Fall”. If you haven't read the previous books then I do advise that you avoid reading this review as some of my commentary is likely to include some spoilers.

Since the events detailed in “The Fall” humanity has suffered brutally with the world having fallen under the control of the Master and his vampire horde. Most of the remaining people have accepted their new life under the ash filled skies either as an underclass of society or as cattle held in camps where they are bred and bled as a food source for the vampires. A handful do still try to fight back such as Eph, Fet and Nora who were entrusted with a silver bound book called the Occido Lumen which supposedly contains the manner in which they could finally defeat the Master and perhaps give humanity some hope for the future. However, with the Master still hunting them and many humans helping him, their chances seem slim.

Once again the authors have packed some decent enjoyable action sequences into their book. However, these were interspersed amongst some slower paced and at times rather dull character driven elements. The problem here is that I have struggled to really engage with the characters and therefore anything focussed around them failed to really enthuse me. This wasn’t helped by some of the developments thrown into the book such as a new romance between Fet and Nora, Drug addicted Eph and more importantly his son Zack whose brain washing led me to really disliking him. I basically found myself not caring about any of the characters so their sacrifices and choices didn’t bother or interest me.

Whilst on the whole the characters were a let-down for me I did appreciate the exposure given to the mysterious Mr Quinlan who is revealed here to actually be a son of the Master. Whilst he wasn’t around much in terms in page quantity, this solemn and interesting character has an important role in the overall story and it was nice to see his own personal story revealed here and given some room to shine.

There are also some other nice touches to the book such as the dark, depressing and brutal world that the authors have created. Bleakness and a lack of hope pervade this book and to be honest I am not sure the ending could really be classed as a happy one either. This is then all supported by the Vampire creation story which is finally revealed in this book. I won’t go into much detail here as I don’t want to ruin in for anyone who hasn’t read the book yet but it was an interesting take on the mythology and I enjoyed the way in which it linked into biblical stories.

Overall, whilst I have enjoyed reading this book and the series in general I do think that this book has again highlighted one of the real flaws and that is the characters. They just aren’t engaging enough to carry the slower sections of the story and I think this has really reduced the overall impact of this novel in particular due to its elements of sacrifice. In the end, if you have made it this far in the series then you really should read it if only to see how it all began with the vampire creation story and how it all finally ends.

The Fall (The Strain Book 2) - Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan

Title: The Fall (The Strain Book 2)
Author: Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan
Genre: Horror
Published: 2010
Formats: Hardback/Paperback/Ebook

Available at:
Amazon
The Book Depository
Amazon UK

Review:
“The Fall” by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan is the 2nd book in the Strain trilogy and follows on directly from the first book in the series entitled “The Strain”. If you haven't read the previous book then I do advise that you avoid reading this review as some of my commentary is likely to include some spoilers, especially in relation to the plot.

Eph Goodweather and his human allies are now holed up in New York watching the Master and his brood continue to grow in strength as they turn more people into vampires. The infection has grown so out of control that other groups of vampires have now joined the fight in an attempt to stem the Master’s power. However, there is still some hope for humanity as a fabled book has turned up for auction that may hold secrets that could lead to their salvation. And so Eph, Setrakian and the others must find a way to survive the steadily worsening city but also get a hold of the book, even though the Master himself is also aware of it.

As with the previous book in the series I found “The Fall” to be an enjoyable action packed book that takes look at the darker side of vampires and doesn’t try and sugar coat anything. However, it still didn’t strike me as being very original and it felt at times like Del Toro and Hogan and gone over many other vampire stories and just taken the sections they liked and merged it all together. In addition, the first half of the novel didn’t really add much to the overall narrative and I was worried it was going to fall into the trap of many other middle novels in which we don’t actually get much progression. Luckily the 2nd half of the novel did pick up the pace and I soon found myself really wanting to know what was going to happen next.

One issue I had with the first novel was that it seemed intent on putting vampirism across in a very scientific manner and I found that this didn’t fit in with some elements such as why vampires couldn’t cross bodies of water. This is actually dealt with in this book as the authors opened up the paranormal elements of being a vampire. Therefore the minor issues I had previously disappear now as I am no longer just trying to look at it from a scientific viewpoint.

My opinion on the characters is split, because whilst some of the characters continued to develop and interest me, others just plain got annoying and continue to act like cardboard cut-outs. On the positive front this is Setrakian, the old vampire hunter who we learn even more about and who continues to interest and actually reaches out to the reader on some emotional levels. However, Eph himself continues to be uninteresting and I really couldn’t care much about him at all, he just seems to be lacking charisma. I suppose, perhaps the authors were trying to show the depression that had crept into Eph’s life but it just put me off reading about him.

Overall, whilst the review may seem quite negative in tone, I did still enjoy the book; I just kept thinking it could have been so much more. It is also a book of two halves, the first section really just reiterating what was revealed in “The Strain” before we finally get into the second section and witness the more exciting new adventure. To be honest, if you liked the first novel then you should be at least happy with this instalment in the series as it does continue in the same vein.

On the Lips of Children - Mark Matthews

Title: On the Lips of Children
Author: Mark Matthews
Genre: Horror
Published: 2013
Formats: Ebook

Available at:
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Smashwords
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Review
“On the Lips of Children” by Mark Matthews is a horror novel that actually had shocked me from the first few pages. The story follows Macon and Erin, a couple who are staying at a San Diego hotel with their daughter in preparation for a marathon that Macon intends to take part in the following day. However, when Macon decides to go for a training run he sets in motion a chain of events that will brings both him and his family face to face with evil and cruelty.

I won’t say much more than this as I don’t want to ruin the plot, however the story itself was a thoroughly good read that was well written and well-paced. I had some real moments of unease in regards to some of the events that take place which is something I do look for when reading horror novels. These elements were also well supported by some good atmospheric work by Matthews, there is a real sense of darkness here and the tension and dread is built up and maintained wonderfully.

However, the thing that really works well in this novel is the characters. Whilst the elements of running and tattoos that are core to the main characters thoughts didn’t mean much to me, it didn’t really affect my appreciation for who they were. They still felt like real people to me with their determination to protect their family being really powerful to witness.

A word of warning about the novel however is that some parts are rather gruesome and uncomfortable to read. If you are used to this genre or enjoy some of the more visual horror movies out there then it probably won’t bother you, but if it is new to you then you may find it quite disturbing.

Overall this is a dark and intense story that should keep all horror fans well and truly hooked right up until the end. The back of my mind is still tormented by some of the images portrayed in this book which I think really shows both the impact of the story and the ability of Matthews to write it.

The Strain (The Strain Book 1) - Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan

Title: The Strain (The Strain Book 1)
Author: Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan
Genre: Horror
Published: 2009
Formats: Hardback/Paperback/Ebook

Available at:
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Amazon UK

Review:
“The Strain” by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan is the first novel in a trilogy that will explore their own vision of the vampire genre. This book itself starts with the landing of a Boeing 777 in New York which suddenly stops on the taxi way with all its power off. Upon investigating the aircraft, it is discovered that nearly all the passengers are dead from some unknown cause. When strange things start to occur such as the disappearance of all the bodies from the morgue, the CDC scientist in charge, Dr Eph Goodweather finds himself unable to comprehend what is happening. However, before long a holocaust survivor who has been hunting vampires for decades reveals the truth to Eph and draws him into the fight to try and save mankind.

The novel flowed very well as it started slow and deliberate to set the mood before picking up the pace as the story progressed. I quite simply found the book to be a very quick and easy read that entertained me from start to finish. In addition it was good to see a vampire novel again that actually focused on horror with some rather creepy sections and vampires that are actually being vicious, heartless creatures with no remorse.

I do have a few issues with the vampire premise in the book related to the fact that the authors have tried to create a realistic element to vampirism with the use of a parasite that doesn’t survive under UV light. This is all very well and good, but then I fail to understand why these vampires are then also allergic to silver or why they need to be invited to cross a body of water. These two things don’t really tie up with vampirism being caused by a parasite and in my opinion it slightly spoils the authors’ attempt at giving vampirism a realistic edge.

The biggest let down with the book however is in regards to the characters which is a shame as this meant that what could have been a great book is just a good book. Basically, they all seem very cliché and undeveloped with the main protagonist Eph being very two-dimensional. It almost feels like the book has been written based on an initial TV series outline and there has been no attempt to enhance or build on the character’s basic descriptions.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read that shown the vampire genre could still be mature, intense and dark. I had almost grown to believe that all future vampire novels would be paranormal romance in style. The characters are rather weak, but overall the novel is an entertaining read despite this issue. My final word of warning however is that people should not fall for some of the commentary around this novel which implies it offers a fresh look at vampire stories. Yes it is different to the usual standard we tend to see these days but I don’t think there was anything here that hasn’t been covered in other novels. So feel free to pick up the book and enjoy a vampire novel that tries to embrace its horror roots but don’t go in expecting to see something completely original.

Terminus - Paul Melhuish

Title: Terminus
Author: Paul Melhuish
Genre: Sci-Fi
Published: 2012
Formats: Paperback/Ebook

Available at:
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Review:
“Terminus” by Paul Melhuish is a rather interesting blend of Science Fiction and horror that I found thoroughly entertaining although there were a few minor issues. The plot itself is based around Sii Terminus, a man whose past with scarred by an encounter with a strange alien species. Now though, he is captain of a space craft that has been tasked with the simple sounding task of taking an important bureaucrat out to another planet named Thanatos One. However, upon arrival it becomes obvious that the task is not that simple and soon Sii and his crew encounter horrors and danger they could never have imagined in their darkest dreams.

The first thing I noted about the book is that it does start of quite slowly, which isn’t helped by the use of specialised slang which I will discuss later on. However, upon arrival at Thanatos One itself the pace really does pick up with various twists and turns keeping the reader on their toes. I really found myself desperate to turn each page and discover what was coming next. The overall feel of the novel is quite dark as the horror scenes themselves can be quite graphic and there is a pervasive level of corruption and decadence within the society that Melhuish has created. Yet, the novel does also have some rather amusing elements of dark humour which cleverly ensures that it doesn’t become subsumed by the more depressing and morose elements.

The writing was clever and descriptive which really helps the reader envision both the characters and the world they inhabit. Melhuish has also tried to show the evolution of his society by including a form of slang that has resulted from the slow corruption of English. Whilst I found this quite interesting and clever, I did think it could detract from the novel as the reader tried to understand what the words actually meant. Basically, I found myself getting bogged down early on in the novel as I tried to both understand the new slang and put up with the slow initial pacing.

In regards to the characters, the majority of them fit in with their rather decaying society very well with various flaws and issue visible for all to see. Despite this however, I couldn’t help but find myself liking most of them with Sii Terminus himself being the ultimate anti-hero. The fact that I found myself caring about the characters really helped to enhance the power of the horror elements. This was nice to see as I find that too many horror stories rely on gore alone to thrill the readers.

Overall, this was an exciting and interesting horror story that uses its futuristic setting incredibly well. I think I would recommend the book to lovers of several genres as fans of post-apocalyptic fiction, dystopian, horror and even space-opera should find something in the book that appeals.

The Harvest - Scott Nicholson

Title: The Harvest
Author: Scott Nicholson
Genre: Science Fiction / Horror
Published: 2003
Formats: Paperback/Ebook

Available at:
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Kobo
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“The Harvest” by Scott Nicholson is a rather enjoyable science-fiction/horror novel that will remind readers of various classic B-movie plot lines and concepts. The story itself is about an alien entity that lands in the Appalachian mountings in the United States and starts to “infect” every life form it encounters including the inhabitants of a small mountain town. These infected people become zombie like and try to find more victims to help progress the alien’s ultimate aim which is to absorb the life force from every living creature on Earth.

The novel is a fun ride as long as you are willing to accept cliché plot points and aren't looking for anything that original. However, whilst not being that original, Nicholson really does capture the feeling of classic movies like “The Blob” & “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” and I actually quite enjoyed the corny bits that appeared throughout the novel. In addition the pace seemed just right with Nicholson using the early, slower parts of the novel to introduce the various characters to the reader before picking up the tension and danger as the story progressed to its conclusion.

There are problems however as at times it seemed like Nicholson was trying to do a character driven piece rather than the B-movie styled novel he was actually producing. For example, large sections of the book seem dedicated to various characters’ religious beliefs which really was a turn off for me as it just slowed the pace down for no real reason.

In regards to the characters themselves, Nicholson has tried hard to make all of them seem credible with different layers being present in all of them although I have to admit that a lot of did strike me as being in the stereotypical hillbilly/redneck mould. The real problem however is that he has introduced so many characters that I found myself struggling to engage with any of them. I just wish that he had maybe only included half the characters and developed them much more which may have meant that I actually felt something when one of them got infected.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel for what it was; a fun read that brings the same feeling of enjoyment I get from sitting down and watching an old 1950’s science fiction horror movie. It isn’t anything original, but it is well written and I think it will appeal to fans of the science fiction horror genre that are looking for something that won’t tax the brain but should entertain none the less.

Challenges Book Counts Towards:
Ebook Reading Challenge (Workaday Reads)
Speculative Fiction Challenge

Revamp - Beck Sherman

Title: Revamp
Author: Beck Sherman
Genre: Horror
Published: 2012
Formats: Paperback/Ebook

Available at:
Amazon
Amazon UK

"Revamp" by Beck Sherman is a novel that explore vampires in the way there were originally envisioned, evil killing machines. There are absolutely no friendly, cuddly vampires that sparkle in the sun which I was thoroughly pleased to see. But the best thing about this story is that there was no attempt to make a love triangle out of vampires, humans and werewolves. In fact there are no werewolves in the story at all; this is purely about vampires and the horror that surrounds them.

The story itself follows Emma Spade, a young college student whose visit to LA for an interview soon descends into chaos as she stumbles into an attempt by vampires to overthrow humanity and take control of the United States for themselves. Very soon Emma finds herself fighting for her life alongside a small group of human resistance fighters who are determined to find a way to survive and gain freedom and safety for themselves.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book; Sherman has managed to make vampires into something to fear again alongside a well paced plot that was quite engaging as it revealed the overall story to the reader and Emma at the same time. Whilst it was quite dark at times, the horror is well tempered with some rather wry humour which really helps to enhance the enjoyment factor.

The premise about Vampires conducting a blitzkrieg style attack on the United States and take over was superb and it resulted in some rather interesting political implications and satirical events. In particular I enjoyed seeing how Vampire society ended up being exactly like human society with the rich enjoying a lavish lifestyle whilst he poor, worked away with very little in terms of material objects and also blood itself.

Another aspect of the novel I was impressed with was the realism of some elements. For example it takes a full third of the novel before Emma will actually admit to the possibility that vampires exist. It was so nice to see a character really struggle with this in a novel rather than just accept it after a couple of pages. This sense of realism spread to other aspects of the story such as the logical way in which the humans trained to fight the vampires and the budding romance between Emma and Cooper that worked well considering the situation they found themselves in.

The characters were also superb, each one of them strong individuals in their own right with different foibles, abilities and fears. The various flashbacks that are interspersed throughout the novel also do a great job in teasing out the various back stories and ensures the reader is just bombarded with violence right from the start.

If I had to pick an issue with the book then it is actually about the synopsis which mentions the blackout, implying that it would take up an important part of the story. However, the blackout is barely mentioned and whilst it is actually important to the plot the reader is just told of its importance in a paragraph. It doesn't detract from the story; I just think it would have been nice to really follow what went on during it as an enhancement to the story.

Overall, this is a dark, witty, intelligent and entertaining horror story that really explores the violence of vampires. This book worked for me on many levels, the action, horror, characters were all brilliant and I now hope that Sherman decides to write more books set in this world and around these characters. I highly recommend it to any fan of horror, especially those who like the more in your face story of fear, grime, violence and danger.

Challenges Book Counts Towards:
Ebook Reading Challenge (Workaday Reads)

Waiting For Daybreak - Amanda McNeil (Review & Interview)

I have taken part in a blog tour this month for Post Apocalyptic Zombie novel, "Waiting For Daybreak". This tour is being hosted by the author herself, Amanda McNeil from her blog Opinions of a Wolf. My post on this tour includes a review and intereview but I hope you all visit some of the other sites in the tour for further guest posts, intereviews, reviews and giveaways.

Review

Title: Waiting For Daybreak

Author:  Amanda McNeil

Genre: Horror

Published: 2012

Formats: Paperback/Ebook

Available at:
Amazon
Amazon UK

I had originally assumed that "Waiting for Daybreak" by Amanda McNeil would be just another Zombie apocalypse novel, which seem to be all the rage at the moment. However, there is a little bit more to the novel that this as McNeil has chosen to concentrate the story on a character that had a personality disorder long before the apocalypse occurred. I found this to be quite an original and refreshingly different viewpoint which ensured I was willing to read this ahead of the many other run of the mill zombie novels that are sitting on my bookshelf.

The story itself is broken up into two distinct sections, the first focuses on the day to day life of Freida, a young woman with a troublesome past who is trying to survive a zombie apocalypse alongside her pet cat, Snuggles. This section of the novel almost reads like a diary, which explores some of the actions she has taken to ensure her survival such as the fortification of her apartment. In addition, we get to follow Freida's musings as she recalls the various events that occurred just before the zombie outbreak and over the first few weeks.

The second half of the novel however morphs into a sort of love story between Freida and another uninfected man named Mike that she discovers in the city. However, when it is revealed that Mike has his very own personality issues, the awkward and desperate romance they have undertaken looks certain to end in some form of disaster.

Without doubt the utilisation of a main character with some form of disorder leads to a rather interesting story. Particularly when Mike is thrown into the mix and the novel explores some aspects of what it really means to be normal when the world itself is anything but. In addition, Freida herself is an incredibly complex person and I was impressed by McNeil's ability to develop such a unique character to the point that I could actually relate to her on some level, despite the way she would think. She really does come across as quirky and likeable despite her issues and I particularly appreciated how it becomes clear that the very personality traits that caused her problems in the past that has probably led to her survival now.

The one thing that I was a bit disappointed with was the rather short length. Don't get me wrong, the pacing has been used really well to make sure that the story is entertaining and self contained but the ending felt slightly abrupt to me and I think a few elements could have been expanded upon. Basically, I would have liked to discover more about the world and Freida herself and am now hoping that McNeil will decide to expand on the story via future novels.

Overall, this was an entertaining post apocalyptic zombie novel that also makes the reader think about how the normalcy of life is relative. It isn't always a light and easy novel to read due the characters McNeil has utilised but these characters are what make it unique. I think any fan of post apocalyptic survival horror that is after something a little bit different and thought provoking will enjoy this.

Challenges Book Counts Towards:
Ebook Reading Challenge (The Eclectic Bookshelf)
Ebook Reading Challenge (Workaday Reads)

Interview

Hi Amanda, please tell us something about yourself and how you came to be a writer.

I grew up in Vermont and moved to Boston about 7 years ago.  My interest in everything and anything naturally led me into librarianship, and a late-blooming passion for healthcare and science funneled me into medical librarianship.  When I’m not working or writing, I’m working out, playing videogames, cooking, or exploring Boston.  Ok, ok, and snuggling my kitty.

I don’t think anyone “becomes” a writer.  I think you’re born a writer.  Whether or not you choose to do anything with the stories inside you is the key.  When I decided to crack down on myself and get serious about my writing was when I graduated from my masters program.  I realized I was in my mid 20s, I no longer had the excuse of all my free, non-work time being eaten up by grad school, so it was now or never. Obviously I chose now.

Where did the inspiration for Waiting For Daybreak's plot, characters and setting come from?

I had been reading at work about fMRI scans of people with Borderline Personality Disorder showing that their amygdalas are a different size from those of people without a mental illness.  I was thinking about that while I was walking home from the bus stop (I take public transit).  It happened to be Thanksgiving weekend, and Boston empties almost completely out as most of the population goes someplace else for the holiday.  The empty streets combined with the fMRI studies made me think: what if there was a zombie virus to which the mentally ill were immune?  It just flowed from there.

The writing process differs from author to author. What’s YOUR writing process?

Usually I get the spark of an idea--a hypothetical situation or a scene.  Then I can’t get that out of my head, so I sit down and write.  After a few scenes, more of the story comes to me, so I make a few bare-bones notes (names, key situations or scenes) and just go from there.  After that it’s editing and inserting chapter breaks.  Then cover design and formatting!

There are lots of people out there who dream of being a writer, what do you think is the most important piece of advice you could give?

First, stop saying that you “dream of being a writer.” You either are a writer or you aren’t.  Second, stop stalling and just do it.  Everyone procrastinates.  Procrastination and hesitation aren’t signs you can’t write.  They’re signs you’re nervous and hesitant. Stop being nervous, sit down, and write. No excuses.

What’s next? What projects are you currently working on and what do we all have to look forward to?
I’m working on a dark fantasy novel in which the dark gods of Lovecraft fame have taken over the world and humanity has divided into groups that have vastly different ideas on how to deal with the problem.  I’m extremely excited about it because it’s my first book that will be written from multiple perspectives.

There also will be a sequel to Waiting For Daybreak.  I’m aiming for it to come out in the summer of 2014, but we’ll see how quickly I can get the research done.  Plus the dark gods are demanding attention first.

And finally, what books have had the greatest influence on you?

Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale changed my entire life.  Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club is permanently on my kindle.  Stephen King’s Dark Tower series.  And of course Jack London’s The Call of the Wild.

Thank you so much Amanda for your time and good luck with this promotion and your future novels.

Learn more about Waiting For Daybreak and Amanda McNeil at…
Goodreads | Author Blog

Next stop on the blog tour: Book Stacks on Deck

The Eyes of the Dead (The Vetala Cycle Book 1) - G.R. Yeates

Title: The Eyes of the Dead (The Vetala Cycle Book 1)
Author: G.R. Yeates
Genre: Horror
Published: 2011
Formats: Ebook

Available at:
Amazon
Amazon UK

"The Eyes of the Dead" by Gregory Yeates is a rather visceral horror tale that mixes some graphic imagery with a rather surreal plotline. It is set during World War I and initially follows three soldiers who have to leave the trenches and advance in an attempt to take some territory. When one of them is injured they take refuge in a crypt where they discover something more horrifying and evil than the war itself. One of the soldiers manages to escape the crypt, however that was just the beginning of a journey through terror and madness as he tries to understand what is real and what isn't.

The first thing I wish to highlight is that the author obviously has an outstanding ability to use the English language. The imagery he conjures up was simply sublime and I could really feel myself being drawn into the muddy, depressing and gruesome trenches of World War I. In addition, the way in which he describes and portrays the vampires in the novel was quite refreshing to witness. There was none of the irritating gloomy vampires we see in many YA novels here; these were creatures of pure evil and horror without any remorse or morality.

The storyline itself was incredibly dark with the feeling of evil seeming to flow out from every page. In addition, the book was full of some quite confusing and surreal moments during which I wasn't sure if it was reality or dream, something which really added to the feeling of foreboding within the novel. However, an issue I did have with the book which turned out to be quite major for me is that I never felt any moment of real understanding as I read the book. There didn't really seem to be anything pulling together all the strands of reality and hallucinations into a final result that would leave me feeling satisfied.

Overall, I have to say that Yeates has a superb writing style and the atmosphere he has created in this book was brilliantly dark and evil. Personally though, I just felt a little bit disappointed that there was no ending to really bring all the surrealism and horror together in an enjoyable manner for myself. I am freely willing to admit that maybe I just missed it or didn't grasp something, but it stopped me really loving the book which was a shame as from what I saw here I think Yeates has great ability. Either way, I do think that if you enjoy horror books then you should give this a try, even if it is just to witness the imagery that Yeates can create which some readers I am sure will find satisfying in itself.

Challenges Book Counts Towards:
Ebook Reading Challenge (The Eclectic Bookshelf)
Ebook Reading Challenge (Workaday Reads)
Free Reads Challenge
Speculative Fiction Challenge

Monster Story - McCarty Griffin

Title: Monster Story
Author: McCarty Griffin
Genre: Horror
Published: 2010
Formats: Ebook

Available at:
Amazon
Smashwords
Kobo
Amazon UK

"Monster Story" by McCarty Griffin is a rather enjoyable horror suspense novel. This type of story is something I rarely pick up these days even though in my youth this genre was almost all I read. This novel like many I read in my youth was light and easy read which I felt really captured the feel of many made for TV early evening horror movies.

The story follows a young woman named Christy who has travelled back to her hillbilly hometown in West Virginia due to the death of her Grandmother. Unfortunately she has returned at the same time as vicious deaths start occurring in the woods and the police force can't be sure if it is some wild animal or even a savage serial killer. Christy and her friends soon find themselves caught up in the danger and must find a way to face this terror that is now stalking them.

I found that the story moved at a reasonable pace although in the earlier stages I felt that it did sometimes meander a little bit between different scenes without any obvious connections. The story was full of light hearted drama, suspense and at times a little bit of humour that helped really lighten the entire story beyond being a dark and savage horror tale. I particularly loved the back woods hillbilly style that the author has captured and used to bring out some of the humour in the story.

However, this book is still a horror story at its core and therefore there is violence and horror involved. However, whilst there are some graphic descriptions that some people may dislike, I felt that the author handled it all very well. There is no gore porn here and every detail utilised seems to have its place and reasoning for being there.

What I particularly liked though were the main characters, Christy and her group of friends are a superb eclectic mix of people who's wonderful and varied interactions as the suspense and danger drives them together were one of the main reasons I struggled at times to put the book down. The only issue I had was that there were also so many characters within the novel beyond the main core group. It could get a little bit confusing trying to remember who everyone was and some of them were used so little that they came across a little flat and at times seemed a little bit surplus to requirements.

Overall, I found this to be a fun and light read with some rather engrossing moments of horror, drama and suspense. I think that if you are the type of person that enjoys made for TV horror films full of thrilling build ups, interesting eclectic groups of characters and a little bit of humour then I suspect you will love this novel.

Predators of Darkness (Darkness Series Book 1) - Leonard D Hilley II

Title: Predators of Darkness (Darkness Series Book 1)
Author: Leonard D Hilley II
Genre: Sci-Fi
Published: 2007
Formats: Paperback/Ebook

Available at:
Amazon
The Book Depository
Smashwords
Amazon UK

When Leonard D. Hilley II sent me an email and asked me if I would like to read and review "Predators of Darkness" along with the next two in the series I wasn't sure at first if I should do it. This is because taking on three books from an author I hadn't read was a bit of a risk, but the synopsis and premise drew me in and in the end I was unable to say no. Now that I have finished this first book in the series I can honestly say that I am glad I took the risk as I loved the story and am happy to say that I am already 70% of the way through the sequel!

The story is set in 2073 in the city of Pittsburgh after it has been hit by a nuclear strike that has wiped out most of the city and its inhabitants. However, thanks to a well prepared scientist, several students and staff members have survived in an underground bunker beneath the University Campus. However, after several years when they leave their sanctuary to forage for more supplies they find strange and deadly creatures called Shifters now roaming the streets. These creatures heal quickly, can change their bodies and appearance, are savage killers and love to hunt down those humans that are still alive.

The story follows several of the survivors from the underground bunker in this world whose numbers have been diminishing due to the seemingly never ending, rapidly evolving Shifters. When the leader of the group Daniel finds some information out in the ruined city, he realises there may be a way to actually save the remnants of the group and finally live a decent live. He just now has to try and uncover a murderer in their group, understand the strange objectives of the scientist who originally saved all their lives and finally decide if his best friend is someone he can really trust.

As someone that loves dystopian sci-fi stories and horror it was probably no wonder that I really enjoyed this book. The plot is exciting, entertaining, fast paced and also interestingly complex with several great surprises thrown in along the way. There was also some great sub-plots and layers that seemed at times to be very random and insane but they all came together nicely in the end with a rather satisfying conclusion. The action is also quite constant with danger lurking around every corner which really keeps the suspense level up high. I would have to say that the book isn't for the faint hearted though as the author isn't afraid to detail the violence, blood, gore and downright savagery of the world he has created.

In regards to the characters, I found the main character Daniel to be rather engaging and easy to like. Even in the primitive society that has now evolved where the group's leaders were chosen and even paired off with women via physical violence, he is still a decent, yet haunted man who is trying his best for everyone. He and the other main characters were all well written and I found them all to be rather interesting if at times a little bit type cast. One issue I did have is that sometimes they did specific things that seemed rather stupid and unrealistic for people who had survived so much already and were blatantly just a way to move the plot on in a specific direction.

The secondary characters were rather weak and were nothing more than cardboard cut-outs with a few words here and there to describe who they were. In a way, this made it hard for you to really care about them and it didn't really provide you with a feeling of a close group fighting against adversity. Therefore, the best secondary characters in the book seem to be the Shifters themselves and these are more than adequately detailed. These intelligent, sexually deviant, savage and downright dangerous creatures are really the stuff of nightmares. I found them to be really impressive "monsters" and it was also nice to see them contrasted by a "good" Shifter that appears later in the story and adds a little bit of comic relief to the story.

In summary, this book is a cracking Sci-Fi Horror novel which takes an action packed end of the world scenario and mixes it with dangerous shape-shifting monsters, conspiracy and even the odd bit of romance. Basically, if you enjoy post apocalyptic horror and like to read books that don't take the safe and obvious route then I think you will love this novel.

In The Dunes - John Leahy

Title: In The Dunes
Author: John Leahy
Genre: Horror
Published: 2011
Formats: Ebook

Available at:
Amazon
Amazon UK

In The Dunes is a short horror story about Neil Marshall, a retired banker from the US who is on a golfing holiday in Ireland with his friend Cliff. During one of their games, Cliff manages to send his ball into some dunes that lie behind one of the greens. Neil waits as Cliff ventures into the dunes, never to return. Neil then begins a search and talks to locals and the authorities as he tries to uncover what has happened to his friend and what is actually hidden in the dunes.

I found this short story to be a quick and entertaining read although I do think that some of the possible suspense was limited. This was mainly due to the fact that the secret hidden in the dunes was uncovered in a rather detailed way slightly earlier than I would have expected . However, this was a minor issue and in a short story like this there probably wasn't much more the author could have done really. I also felt that Leahy has a good writing style and I did enjoy the earlier stages of the book wondering what could actually be hidden in the dunes.

In summary, if you are after a quick read for an evening that will provide a few creepy moments then pick this short story up. For myself, I look forward to reading more from John Leahy in the future and am interested to see what type of story he could create if he had a full length novel to work with.

Nightcry - Gregory M Thompson

Title: Nightcry
Author: Gregory M Thompson
Genre: Horror
Published: 2011
Formats: Paperback/Ebook

Available at:
Amazon
Amazon UK
Barnes & Nobel

The concept of "Nightcry" is an interesting one as Gregory M Thompson has attempted to mix suspense, mystery and horror together. The story follows the protagonist Grant Sykes, a man in his mid twenties and the editor of the local paper in a small town in the US Midwest. The book does get off the mark quickly with the discovery of a dead body in the first few pages and it continues at this fast pace as other deaths begin to occur around the town. The evidence begins to point to Grant being the murderer and soon the whole town is talking about how he may be responsible for the deaths. However, Grant has started to see and hear a supernatural being that he believes may be related to the deaths. He therefore bites the bullet and calls in a ghost hunter named Mavis to help him track down the apparition and hopefully solve the murders.

The story itself is rather enjoyable and I have to admit that I especially liked the ending. It was an interesting and clever plot twist that I wasn't expecting, although I do wish that there had been a greater explanation of why the murders had taken place. I had hoped the epilogue would have maybe done this but it closes out some of the other aspects of the story without actually touching on this.

The biggest issue I had with the novel was the number of grammatical errors that I noticed throughout. The most common issue that I saw was the incorrect use of past and present tense and at times it caused me to stop and pause mid-sentence as it affected my ability to easily read the book. I try not to really complain much about grammar as my own is pretty bad at times, however I felt that the various errors in "Nightcry" did cause me to get distracted from the story at times.

Other than this, I found that some of the back-story sections to be rather meaningless in regards to both Grant and Mavis. I will admit that they were actually quite interesting at times, but I don't think it actually added anything at all to the story and they more or less appeared to be filler. In regards to Grant specifically, I actually thought the back-story was being used to set-up some sort of reveal about why this was all happening to him. However, I don't think it ended up doing anything beyond telling us a bit about his family history.

Overall, I am finding it hard on what to really say about this book. I actually think it has a good premise and interesting plot at its core. In my opinion the delivery is not the best; even ignoring the grammar issues, I think the flashback sections could have been better incorporated and utilised in explaining some aspect of the overall story and that there had been some sort of decent reasoning at the end to why the murders had occurred. I believe doing that would have turned the novel from being an okay, yet enjoyable novel into something much better.

Whisper of Death - Christopher Pike

Published: 1991
Current Cost: Looks to be out of print now but Amazon do have various 2nd Hand copies for 1p as per link - Whisper of Death


 Okay, I have to admit that I was a big Christopher Pike fan as a young teenager and it was his books that really got me interested in reading. My sister was reading Point Horror novels but I thought I was being "older" by reading Christopher Pike novels.

I decided to read this novel after I entered my thirties and wanted to read a Christopher Pike book so that it would bring back some of my fonder memories of my youth.

Anyway, onto the book itself and I have to admit whilst these type of books used to take me a couple of weeks to read it only took my 4 hours to read this. It felt more like a novella than a full novel but of course this is aimed at the younger reader and not someone of my more mature years.

The first quarter of the story itself seemed to be all about setting up how the main character and her boyfriend got together and fell in love. I have to admit that I found this section a little bit of a struggle to read as it was rather dull and I found the premise of these two people "loving" each other after only 2-3 dates rather irritating.

After this however it did pick up a bit, as we basically end up with these two love birds and three other teenagers finding themselves all alone when everyone else in the world seems to vanish into thin air. The group of characters are pretty stereotypical;
1. The rather annoying main female character (Like the irritating Bella from the Twilight series)
2. The good looking, loving boyfriend
3. The fat, geeky smart kid who is a "nice" guy
4. The kid who is a wanna-be bad guy
5. The good looking popular girl
Nothing new or innovative in that list of characters and I have to admit the only one I felt anything for was the fat geeky kid and thats probably because I remember being the fat geeky kid :-p

Anyway, these guys meet up they begin to realise that they all have something in common although none of them seem to want to admit what that is. Of course, soon they start dieing and the truth slowly comes out before a rather whacked out ending that didn't really feel like it closed out much.

Overall, I can't say I was that impressed, the middle seemed okay but the beginning and the ending just didn't do much for me. In the end though I will probably still try and find some more Christopher Pike books so I can just laugh at what I used to think were the best books in the world.