Ryan McSwain's Monsters All the Way Down Makes You Question Everything.

Imagine being accused of serial murders

That you know you didn't commit.

Now imagine questioning 

The veracity of your own knowledge.

Today we have science fiction Horror for Halloween!

Monsters All the Way Down is a science fiction horror novel written by Ryan McSwain.

So what's it about?

All Brennan Wade had planned for the day was a simple DNA check that was required for the job he had finally landed. It's all he had planned, that is, until his DNA results pinged a crime database that showed him as the lone suspect for multiple grotesque and unsolved murders spanning decades. 

Now he's on the run, determined to prove that he's not the killer. It's strange, though, that his DNA was lifted from one of the crimes scenes. Even stranger that he truly was at each location at the times the murders were committed... 

 But how could he have committed murders that he has no recollection of? And who is this strange group that's hunting him down for them? Most importantly... who did murder all of these people?

I'm going to start by reminding you not to judge a book by its cover. 

This is definitely not my favorite cover art. I don't think it really gives a good impression of what's inside... but the story within is something worth treating yourself to.

See, one of those cardinal rules of humanity is to never, never, never, NEVER sympathize with a serial killer. So what did I go ahead and do?

Yep. I totally did that.

And who is the serial killer? Well, you won't know that until a long way through... and I'm not giving any spoilers.

But the story was written in such a manner that I repeatedly questioned what I thought I knew. I questioned who the 'good guy' was, and who the 'bad guy' was. I even questioned my own ideas about what good and bad truly mean.

In the beginning, I thought I had made a poor decision about this ebook.

You see, at first, it seemed more like a psychological thriller. It didn't seem to have the markings of a traditional horror novel, and definitely didn't feel sci fi or paranormal. It was quite good, but didn't fit in with my pre-conceived idea of what horror is.

I'm glad I kept reading.

Turns out, this ebook can be classified as both sci fi and paranormal. It has technology that one would expect from near-future sci fi, yet still produces some mind-boggling what-the-heck-is-that-strange-entity thrills. The blend of the two was well done, and allows the reader to have that "what if?" feeling throughout the story.

Brennan Wade, the protagonist, is a particularly interesting - and frustrating - character. When he decided to go into hiding while uncovering the truth, I often saw him do things that seemed absolutely ridiculous. Many times, I thought, "Oh, come on... how could they not catch him after that?"

Yet I kept reading.

Turns out, I was right to ask that question... each time I did. You see, Brennan isn't a criminal. He's the average, everyday guy. The average guy just doesn't know how to run from the law. So even though I wanted to strangle him for his ignorance, I kept reading. I kept wanting him to come out on top. To prove that he wasn't the murderer they claimed he was.

So how did he manage to elude law enforcement while making poor decisions about it? Well, you'll have to read the story to figure out how.

Ha!

(I'm kinda mean, aren't I?)

Seriously, though, this one was worth every moment I spent reading it. While I think I may have made plot discoveries before the author was ready for me to do so, the story ran with fluidity, and I happily read it to the very last word.

Monsters All the Way Down can be found on Kindle.

A Halloween Treat! Four Free Snack-Sized Horror Stories!

At least once every Halloween season I think about how fun it would be to hand out tiny short stories to kids, instead of the normal candy...

But I quickly push that idea aside, realizing that while it may be fun for me, I'd also be likely to end up with a home decorated in tp.

You, on the other hand, are actually looking for something to read, so snack-sized horror stories... here we come!

In the trick-or-treat spirit, they're all free. It'd be crazy to make you pay for a Halloween treat, after all, right?

It began with twelve pages of ebooks.

I reduced that to nine.

I then chose the best four.

I went to Smashwords and did a search for Horror under 20,000 words (free). Wanting short-shorts, I ignored anything over 5,000 words (some looked really good), then went straight to reading the blurbs. The blurbs that I found most fascinating were the ones I selected to read, with the intent of choosing only four.

Why four? 

No reason. I just wanted to set a limit for myself. Because so much of my choice hinged on a well-written blurb, I'm including what that exact blurb, rather than giving my own. I'll also include word count, which ranges from a little over 1500 to a bit above 4000.

Snack-sized!

"Alright, already, Rebecca! Enough with the explanations. Just get on with it!"

First up, we have...

Release is a 2,420 word short-short written by Chuck Grossart.

A man perusing the wares in a vintage book store lifts a tattered volume from its shelf and begins to read. The book quickly becomes his most prized possession...and he, a willing accomplice to a darkness thirsting for release.

What reader doesn't enjoy a horror story that revolves around a book? This one appealed to the part of me that screams, "It could happen to me!" I imagine it'll be the same for you, as well.

Next, we have...

Tower of Grief is a 3,480 word short written by K. Massari.

An abandoned McMansion and its eerie medieval tower were built on a gravesite by unscrupulous contractors. A former owner knows its darkest secrets, and uses them to her advantage.

 This one bends your mind a bit, which only adds to the horror. While it revolves around one former homeowner, we see into the lives of others, as well. This one is not for the faint of heart.

Number three on the list...

Mirror Mirror, at 1,610 words, is the shortest story I have for you today, and is written by Jennifer Waller.

Evelyn followed a rumor into the recesses of an unnamed catacomb in search of an ancient evil. However, once she finds it she quickly learns that escape is impossible.

We all know the dangers of heading out to cursed archeological digs. Unfortunately, someone forgot to remind the protagonist of that fact.

The mirror in the title, as well as the cover, was what drew me to this one. I used to be very uncomfortable around large mirrors, having an over-active imagination, so I'm naturally drawn to stories in which they play a key role.

And finally, we're on to the last - and my favorite of the four:

The Mirror Man is a 4,030 word short written by M.S. Dobing.

Steven Cree wakes up at the same time, every night. With every passing day, injuries appear on his body, cracks appear on his walls, and the trees that surround his estate seem to encroach upon his home.

But worst of all, it's the man in the mirror. The face that was himself, but is slowly changing into that of a stranger.

I know, I know... another one with the word 'mirror' in the title. It's a good one, though, so bear with me.

Everything within this story needed to be there: Every thought, every action, every word. The writing was exceptional. There was no flowery language, no extra narration. The writing was strong.

Even the dedication at the end fit well. It hit me like a truck, which could only happen with a powerful story.

If you read none of the others on this list, read this one.

But read them all.

Because they're all wonderful pieces of work. And they're free!

And snack-sized!!!

**As I only searched via Smashwords, these ebooks may also be available at the Kindle and Nook stores. My focus today was Smashwords titles, only.

Brian Martinez's Shallow Veins is a Halloween Must-Read!

With Halloween fast approaching, I decided that it's time to unearth a few indescribable horrors.

Creatures from the dark beyond.

Great, powerful entities

Capable of decimating human society.

I was surprised when I actually found that very thing!

Shallow Veins is the first book within the Obscured series, a horror/ dark fantasy written by Brian Martinez.

So what's it about?

Newly divorced, alcoholic officer Franklin Butcher has transferred to Shallow Creek in hopes of getting as far away from his ex-wife, and the pain attached to their divorce, as possible. Becoming a small town cop is the perfect way to accomplish this - or so he thinks. 

But there's more to Shallow Creek than he knows. When the owners of a recently bought house call the police to complain about a missing plumber - one that seems to have vanished without a trace - Butcher marks the incident as nothing important. Just a neurotic couple adjusting to their new surroundings. 

But then his partner disappears, as well, and Butcher begins to realize that the town of Shallow Creek is is riddled with more secrets than he ever could have dreamed.

I'm going to start out by giving one simple statement:

Holy crap, this ebook rocks!!!

Not just a little, either. I very nearly ended up making my daughter late for school, because I was so deeply entrenched in this novel that time seemed to move at a much faster rate than normal. I'd swear that only 5 minutes had passed while I was reading...

If it wasn't for the fact that my clock said it was fifteen.

As I'm sure you've already guessed, I've finally found another

Treasured Tome!!!

This one had me in its grip from the first chapter. It's not often that a writer can get my heart beating rapidly and cause me to hold my breath within the first chapter. Add to that the fact that I had absolutely nothing to be scared of, something I discovered before the chapter ended.

Seriously. All I'm going to say about that is... Dumb grasshopper.

I'm still embarrassed about that one.

I do need to warn you, though, that this ebook is graphically violent. It's not something I'd recommend for anyone with a weak stomach. The creature - creatures? - within this novel are disturbingly grotesque.

Martinez has a talent for timing and pacing, and his ability to lead the reader from one chapter to the next without coming up for air is absolutely skillful. I found that I didn't just want to keep reading - I needed to keep reading. Martinez is not one to waste words, choosing each one with care.

The funny part?

I didn't expect to enjoy this one so much. I liked the first few paragraphs enough to give Shallow Veins a shot, but I figured it would just be, well, 'kind of good.' I thought it'd be a book that would make me say, "Yeah, this is nice, but I was expecting more."

I tend to do that with books that I would classify as horror.

I tend to roll my eyes at the cliches, internally throttle the characters that always make the same stupid decisions, and scream at them, seeing every choice they make as completely useless, remarkably ignorant, and overused.

Martinez, though, seems to realize that. Every time a character did something that I'd be frustrated with, he'd point that very fact out in some way, thereby making what would normally seem ridiculous appear to be the only option.

I flipping LOVED that.

Shallow Veins is billed as a dark urban fantasy, and I agree with that choice, though it would appeal to a larger group of readers, as well, since it shares some classic horror traits:

• a house with a mysterious background
• a priest that sees the truth while everyone else is oblivious
• dark, evil creatures
• Unending suspense that causes a reader to hold his or her breath
• The dumb woman that makes bad choices

Yeah... I had to add that last one in. Let's be realistic - women making stupid choices is a pretty big staple of the horror genre. There's a reason that spoofs all use that to their advantage, after all.

And before you push the idea of reading this ebook aside because of it, I want to remind you of what I mentioned earlier: he made ridiculous choices appear to be the only necessary ones.

Also... the dumb woman I refer to actually has some pretty good reasons for the stupid choices she makes, making her the, uh... well... not-so-dumb woman? I really liked her.

Just trust me.

Or don't.

But do read this one. It has mention of cruel gods from other realities within its pages, complete with their descendants, which would satisfy those of us that enjoy dark fantasy, and it has grotesque and terrifying creatures with the ability to destroy an entire town, which makes horror fans smile with satisfaction.

It's a win-win situation.

And it's a Treasured Tome. Don't forget that part. I haven't selected one of those for a while. This one is a Must-Read.

And it's just in time for Halloween. It's even set during the days right before Halloween, which makes it a perfect choice. So get this ebook. Read it. Enjoy it.

Yes, I'm being pushy.

But I really flipping loved this one! And that's what a Treasured Tome is: an ebook that I can't stop trying to get people to read.

Because it's that good.

And because I'm that crazy about it.

Shallow Veins can be found on Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords.

Nikolai Bird's Cthulhu - Something in the Mud Was a Slimey, Lovecraftian Joy!

Every now and then, something happens that disrupts the normal flow of events.

Take today's short story review, for example. After discovering an ebook that looked pleasing, my eyes wandered over to another title written by the same author: a very short story (I'm guessing under 18,000 words) with a Lovecraftian theme.

I can't say no to that. Indeed, when it comes to Lovecraft, I have zero self-control. I've read most of H.P. Lovecraft's short stories, I played the Mythos card game, and I even took part in a few Cthulhu based roleplaying game scenarios.

I couldn't resist.

I had to know if this author could do any justice to the world of Lovecraft... so this short story went from 'last ebook on the list' to 'currently reading' in about 3 seconds. This won't happen often. Normally I have better self-control.

But when the Great Old Ones have a hand in things, sometimes I lose it. Just a little.

Cthulhu: Something in the Mud is a lovecraftian themed horror short story written by Nikolai Bird.

So what's it about?

Four years after the signing of the Armistice that ended WWI, Jack receives a letter from his former Odd Jobs commander, inviting Jack to his summer home for the weekend. Jack gladly accepts and drives to West Wittering, feeling that this little getaway is exactly what he needs. When he arrives, however, he discovers that his former Odd Jobs experience is the only thing that stands between the commander and a powerful evil that no one should ever be exposed to.

Part of me felt that I shouldn't read this. 

A diehard fan of H.P. Lovecraft, I could very easily hold any deviation from from his style against the author. Another part of me, though, was excited. Of course Bird's writing would be very different, but could he pull it off?

Yes, he could. And he did.

Bird stuck to the most important points: vivid imagery, layout of character backgrounds, and a great show of normalcy brought into upheaval. He even placed the story within the proper historical timeline.

But he also made it his own, which is difficult to do when working within the world parameters of an author that has fanatically adoring fans. He deviated from Lovecraft's techniques by showing a bit more than one would normally see in the Cthulhu mythos.

Part of the horror within lovecraftian stories comes from what isn't said. Normally, a deviation like this would cause me to scoff and walk away with my nose in the air.

Fanatical fan, remember?

(I totally wore a Cthulhu for President button during two different election years. Maybe this next election he'll get the winning vote...)

Bird, though, made this work. I didn't feel the need to walk away, ashamed that someone could change Lovecraft's format in this manner. Rather, my eyes stayed on the pages, soaking up each and every word. His style, though different, was effective.

The only problem I had with the story, as strange as this sounds, is that Cthulhu was named twice. In the lovecraftian mythos, even saying the name of a Great Old One has severe consequences. Saying it once, therefore, would have been sufficient - and nerve-wracking. Twice, though, made it feel a little less taboo. Not as important.

But that's just me.

And really, a less avid Lovecraft devotee may not even notice it. Indeed, people who aren't well read in the Cthulhu mythos may actually need that extra reminder of the severity of the situation. I read this story from a vastly different viewpoint than most people, and I recognize that.

One thing is certain: Something in the Mud impressed someone who is hard to satisfy when dealing with the Cthulhu mythos.

That speaks volumes.

Naturally, I'm excited to read the much longer ebook by the same author that I have placed in my reading queue. If his Lovecraft based writing won me over, I can't wait to see what he does with dark fantasy!

Cthulhu: Something in the Mud can be found on Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords, as well as on Scribd, where my eye was drawn to it.

Steve Umstead's Wrinkled Shorts Are Intense!

Let me tell you, doing a search for 'wrinkled shorts' can bring up a lot of giggle worthy images. 

And don't get me started on the number of times I had to rewrite my title to keep the tongue in cheek humor to a minimum!

I'm sure you know where I'm going with this one... It's time for another short story collection. This one is a collection of 5 short-shorts written by a single author.

Wrinkled Shorts is a sci-fi-/horror/suspense collection of short stories written by Steve Umstead.

So what's it about?

A boy helps defend the planet against ruthless alien invaders. * A man ferries cargo to an island and discovers that all of its buildings are gone. * A mysterious, unwanted package shows up at a woman's door. * On their anniversary, a woman gives her love the chance to do something great for humanity via an organization she found through social media. * A college student takes part in a sleep study in order to make some extra cash.

A great smorgasbord of scenarios, right?

Each short is unique, even though the narratives all clearly come from the same beautifully twisted mind. I had no qualms about switching from one genre to the next, lulled into compliance by the author's silver tongue (or should that be pen? Keyboard?).

It's not often that an author can lead you from one story into a vastly different second one without making you pause and take time to examine a whole new world, but Umstead did exactly that.

No breaks needed. 

The intensity of each story propelled me into the next, my mind seeming to transform, accepting each new world with no need for explanation. What I mean is that the environment within each story was exactly right for the scenario within its pages from word one.

Not once did I think,

"Where the heck did that come from?"

Umstead could have created a world in which cotton toasters swam through lava propelled by the currents within hippopotamus venom and I would have believed it... I would've even demanded more.

Interestingly, my favorite story was not the one that I was most interested in reading when I downloaded this title. Incursion (sci-fi), the first of the stories, was the one that originally caught my attention, yet Opt-Out (suspense), the fourth story, was the one that caused my heart to beat wildly, sending shivers down my spine. The impact of that short lasted far beyond the length of time it took to read it.

How long was that?

About thirty minutes. Maybe forty-five. See? I told you I couldn't put it down... my eyes raced across each page as though they were running a marathon. I could. Not. Stop.

Now, this wasn't perfect, of course. I had a vague idea of what the ending of story one would be, so the twist wasn't quite as twisty as I'd like. The third story, likewise, wasn't quite as chilling as I think it could have been.

On the flipside, however, the first story didn't need to wow me with a spectacular twist. It was amazing even without a mind-blowing surprise at the end. And the third story? If you ever watched episodes from Tales From the Darkside, you'll love it unconditionally.

And Opt-Out? My favorite within this collection? Let's just say that it does a very good job of reminding us about the importance of reading the fine print. Always.

Always.

Don't forget that.

If you're looking for a good collection of short-shorts to make your lunch break more fulfilling than usual, you'll want this one. A lot. Like, really a lot.

Wrinkled Shorts can be found on Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords. It's also available on Scribd, which is where I got it.

Devoured By Jason Brant Gives Us Some REAL Vampires!

Terrorist Attack?

Inside job gone awry?

Either way, the future isn't looking so good for humanity.

Welcome to Devoured, first book within the post-apocalyptic Hunger series written by Jason Brant.

So what's it about?

Lance York has hit rock bottom. He has no job, no future employment is in sight, he's in the midst of a particularly nasty divorce, and suffers from depression. Things just can't get worse. That's what he thinks, however...

One day, he discovers a woman that is clearly sick, and not in her right mind. She walks right in front of a car, oblivious to the danger, and Lance jumps out to push her out of the way. He gets hit instead, and winds up in the hospital. Soon after he wakes up, the hospital is inexplicably shut off from the rest of the city, quarantined.

A virus is sweeping across the nation's large cities, sickening its victims. This virus transforms people into hideous monsters that have lost all humanity, replacing it with rage and hunger. The woman Lance saved was one of the infected...

I'll be honest. I thought this was going to be a run of the mill zombie ebook.

I was wrong!

It shares many of those characteristics, but it goes beyond that - the people that have been transformed are still alive - no undeadness. Can I say 'undeadness'? Is that even a word? No? I claim it as my own, then...

It was different. These creatures were strong, they had a taste for human flesh and blood, and they stayed away from the light. 

That's right - 

Brant wrote about vampires! Not the lovey-dovey, pretty, sweet, and sparkly kind, but the awesome kind. 

The kind with no soul.

Brutal.

Animalistic.

And smart.

Exactly what I love! Bela Lugosi's Nosferatu... on PCP! And bigger. With enhanced limbs and musculature.

Ok, maybe they're nothing like Nosferatu... but you get the point. These creatures are awe-inspiringly complex and nasty - anyone that's looking for a vampire novel that doesn't portray them as beautiful will love Brant's descriptions.

I did have one problem with Devoured, however. Occasionally, I found that the dialogue didn't feel true. There were incidents in which I felt a particular character wouldn't speak in a certain way, or use specific speech patterns. This stretched my belief a bit thin, at times.

But overall, this ebook took me into imaginary territory that I was happy to follow it into. The action, sequence of events, and environment were all well written and believable.

And! And! And! 

Awesome vampires!

Forget the mushy, sympathetic, likeable vampire! Brant gave us the type of blood sucking, flesh eating creature of the night that many of us have been screaming for... and made it into a living, breathing beast.

Devoured can be found on Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords.

The Magnum Opus: Deina Furth's Steampunk Brilliance

"A dark steampunk tale best enjoyed with a glass of scotch...

And scrambled eggs."

- Deina Furth

This line blew away all of my own attempts to come up with a good opener for the latest ebook review!

cover design by London Burden
and Alexis Swartz

The Magnum Opus is a dark steampunk novelette written by Deina Furth. I've been craving steampunk for a while, so the second I saw this cover staring up at me... downloading of the title was a given.

So what's it about?

To Rastigan, only one thing matters. He seeks to create a perfect living doll, one capable of emotions, reasoning, and loyalty. He never succeeded before, but now he has created Evangeline, his magnus opus. 

I was first introduced to steampunk via Final Fantasy on my super nintendo. As I travelled across lands in Cid's airship, however, I had absolutely no clue that airships were a part of the steampunk genre - I didn't even know what steampunk was - I just knew that they fascinated me.

That, of course, wasn't true steampunk, but it was my first taste.

It propelled me head first into looking for more, and I devoured the whirring and clanking of the steam powered machinery while dreaming about the robots and victorian fashions that came with it. I was hooked.

Even today, I'll find myself looking for steampunk themed eyeglass frames. I don't wear glasses, but someday I might. It's good to keep your bases covered, I figure. Besides... everything steampunk is just awesome.

And Furth didn't disappoint.

Her tale of Rastigan's life achievement kept me spellbound. The world was dark and Rastigan was even darker. An inventor left alone with his work for too long, he wasn't quite right.

And his crowning achievement? His lifelike doll?

She was a woman that anyone could love. Well, as long as you can get past the whirring and clanking, that is. Evangeline had wants and needs, and her desires were something we can all relate to. Rastigan was the inventor, but she was the star.

The length of this ebook is very short, but it leaves you thinking long past its completion. It also makes you wary of lifelike dolls. I look forward to more from Deina Furth.

The Magnum Opus is available on Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords, as well as Scribd.