Monday 28 October 2013

Wrapped In Red anthology




A really good collection of vampire related stories. The editor has done some superb sifting to come out with these beauties and the order is glorious, the shift in emotions from start to finish and the flow is brilliant. Some wonderful new authors for me to seek out.


Daddy used to drink too much by Michael G. Williams: A tale so full of woe I was left a little bereft and the end. Lots of blood and some fangs, but also tons of emotion. Such a sad way to start the book. The way MGW described the whole setting was also very corporeal.

Nightbound by Patrick C. Greene: PCG starts the story so well you can’t help but want harm to come to these “bad” men, he continues to heap nastiness upon them but gives a sense of spook once in the house, you can feel the blood suckers coming. The first kill is amazing, it was so visual. The criminals really get what they deserved, some smirking great humour.
                                      
Promises by Domyelle Rhyse: Another sad little tale of love lost. I really enjoyed the internal dialogue and Amelie’s torment. DR was able to portray some heartbreaking loses in only a few paragraphs and I got a sense of the loss of time.

Ye Who Enter Here, Be Damned by Billie Sue Mosiman: you are always promised a good read with BSM and this was no exception, a well thought out plot with some seriously good twists.

The Blood Runs Strong by Chantal Noordeloos: a sadistic, tormented boy becomes a Master and finds his true destiny. With a blood curdling ending this was an easy read with some great descriptions to set the scene. This is a lady to watch.

Blood Ties by Sarah I. Sellers: what a strange take on the vampires. Such a haunting start, with vivid description of the Underworld and Lucifer was made almost beautiful. This could easily be the start of a fantastic novel.

Born of the Earth Justine Dimabayou: I was confused by the family knowing what vampires were but not understanding what was happening to their daughter, then they suddenly realise when she goes all incestuous. There was nothing wrong with the writing or style, I just did not enjoy the story.

Shattering Glass by Brian D. Mazur: more succubus than vampire I thought, but still an intriguing tale. The style of writing was almost polite in its delivery.

Dangerous Dan Tucker; Vampire Gunslinger by Maynard Blackoak:  a real wild west tale, some great dialogue and imagery. Nothing overly unique about this tale but it well written and grips you with its lilting tone. 

Blood in the Water by Suzi M:  SM analogies are beautiful and smile inducing. So much back history is given in a few short sentences I felt like I had read a novel. The description of the “monster” had me holding my nose! I will be watching news reports for the coming World Domination.

Vermillion by Bryan W. Alaspa:   the back story is inspired in its telling, BWA does not think us readers are fools, instead he continues to be eloquent in his revealing of the story. As the climax comes nothing is given away until the last moment, then it is final. Awesome story and fantastic writing style.

My Boss is a Vampire by Michael David Matula: from the first few lines I was treated to smirk worthy narrative; turkey Voodoo curses abound.  Oh what a treat to end on, this left me with such a smile! Fantastic story with a real kick in the fangs!

Sunday 27 October 2013

Bob The Zombie: The Sequel by Jaime Johnesse



Another brilliant (and well written) chapter in the life of Bob the dancing Zombie!

He is such a well fleshed out character, pun intended! With his back story and friends you can’t dispute that he is real! In fact he is facebook, so he must be.

JJ manages to think of every little loop hole that might be for his strange existence. With the aid of staples and Super-super glue he is able to go on adventures and dance the night away!

This story is of the Warlock/Witch plot to overthrow the human world. It’s fast paced with loads of humour along the way, but also some great tension moments.

Yes, as is Bob’s way there are some sentimental moments too, but not enough to be sickly.

So make sure you follow Bob in real life on his FB page;  Bob.


I loved the idea of a Dorothy door and there are some really clever pop-culture nods.



Saturday 26 October 2013

Strings by Allison M. Dickson




Extended from the The Good Girls short story this starts off with a great bit of back history, but does not fully explain everything, leaving lots to the imagination and hopefully a prequel, beg beg.

The strange mix of Mob, house spider, torture, prostitutes and a weird Nurse wrapped in red is beyond gripping. The suspense builds with each chapter, the rotating stories really allow for some suspense filled moments.

The intricate dual plot lines are fantastic, coming to an inspired climax. The characters are complex yet full of life, some in a very scary and realistic way, even the ones "not really there" have a sense of depth.  

Madam’s scene in the kitchen was wonderfully grotesque and most definitely my favourite part in the book.  

Just when you think the horror can’t get worse, it does in bucket loads. AMD surpasses herself in this book, I actually felt a bit nauseous at one point, but the story just drags you along by your throat as you are compelled to carry on reading.


As always with AMD, her author notes are extensive and open, as she shows you her process. I often find these to be as much fun as the stories. I say almost because this has gone way beyond any of her short stores or flash fictions this is a full of novel of terror, sublimely written with such delicate details as to make you squirm. However, it is also highly addictive as I was rooted to my chair unable to go to bed until I completed the juggernaut of terror ride.



Friday 25 October 2013

FunHouse by Micheal Bray




I really enjoyed all the author comments at the end but feel that stories could have been enhanced a little by their inclusion at the start of each story rather than the end.

Some of the tales were inspired in their ability to give me the heebie-jeebies and the MB is very talented in his skill to describe and direct you, however stating the obvious about some things, instead of allowing intelligence and imagination to take over was a little irritating!

I was also curious as to the American slant to things when MB is a brilliant British author.


Some nice little links to each story like a subtle thread that runs through them.

Mr. Ghoul’s Quaint Little Ghost Train: almost gave too much away not allowing for my own imagination, that said with all the horrors and mistakes in my life not sure I want to ride this train. Very spooky!

99.9AM:  funny how a description of a hifi system can throw you back to your teenage years. Clever and creepy story but I did find the back and forth dialogue annoying. The ending was great, not expected.

The Eye:    well that’s me not going to the toilet alone for a long time!  MY favourite!

Scarecrows: I loved the non-movie honesty! You could sort of feel this story coming but its got some interesting twists and turns, for me it was a little long winded and took some of the bite out.

H _ ng _ _ n: an intriguing game, unusual ending but I was more enthralled trying to guess the word than engaged with the characters.

The Boy Who Saw Spiders: as spiders are not my favourite thing this had its own terror, but I didn’t see the point of the story other than to totally freak us arachnaphobs out!

The Man in the Alley: nothing gory or horror laden in this little tale but it did leave me with a shiver up my spine.

Sick Day: oh no, I wanted more!! Why,why, why? This was starting to become a really good story and then it stopped. Argh

Jasper: this left me feeling very sad and now a bit spooked by crows. The scene setting was very atmospheric and really added to the heart racing pace.

Tilly: Chucky has nothing on this little lady, I knew I didn’t like dollies, talk about giving you the heebie-jeebies!

Long Tall Coffin: I loved this story, but then I believe in Karma in all its forms! This was the first story that what was unsaid was more scary than spelled out.

50/50: tenter hooks, that was what I was left on! Brilliant suspense filled writing, took you right to the edge and then….

Cabin Fever: such beautiful descriptions of the country, I could almost feel the suns warmth and smell the fresh air.  Unfortunately this wonderfully detailed prose carried on into the gore and torture. The fear in the old man as he tells his story is very evident and gave me a sense of foreboding.   On a down point some of the time line is a bit askew IMO.

The Langton Effect: OCD to the extreme, very freaky, left me feeling a little on edge.

The Trial of Edwyn Greer: wow, I was gripped and intrigued in the first few sentences. A courtroom drama with an edge. Some pondering thoughts too, a well thought out little story that is not so short.

Candyland: Small towns and their strange folk, although this one certainly gave me the shudders, not so much the story as the ending paragraph.

Tuesday 22 October 2013

Zombie Fallout 7: For the Fallen by Mark Tufo



OH my! so much emotion in this one.
I was thrown back into the action straight off, some small recaps so I was not totally confused, which was great.

Its nice to see the return/gathering of some "lost" characters.

My main "fun" moment was the return of Trip - how can you not love this guy, his escape and find is amazing and really brought a sense of humour to the whole thing.

I have to admit that I found this episode very hard going on the emotions, its a real roller coaster; with some nail biting moments.

The Talbotisms are in full swing and the zombie splatter is on again.

Some new elements were introduced, such as the Army and Will & June in the labs.... now where is that going to go! not to mention all the history on the release of the flu virus.... intriguing.

I really got drawn into Deneaux, and her back story with this new ongoing plot line its sure to be something sinister coming! roll on book 8!

The zombies are also now evolving, with Eliza gone, but into what! 

Other reviews have commented on the flashbacks at the end being "tedious" but actually I always find them enjoyable and love the way that MT manages to weave his other books in to the ZF world.


Wednesday 16 October 2013

Some daft questions with Billie Sue Mosiman & review of Sinister Tales



Billie Sue Mosiman is one of the greatest and most prolific authors I have come across since receiving my Kindle Xmas 2009; but she does not fit the true Indie author profile she has merely embraced the digital revolution, she is in her own words a Hybrid author.

She has been published for over 30 years in a variety of magazines and anthologies.

You can now find her extensive library in ebook format on places like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Sony, Apple store etc  - it is fair to say she is EVERYwhere!  Even on the blogospherepeculiarwriter

Her back catalogue includes, to date, 14 novels, a memoir travel book, and 160+ short stories in varying places, plus her autobiography, part 1.

This abundance of work does not diminish her talent in anyway but shows the true breadth and diversity of her abilities.

Oh, did I mention she has also been nominated for Edgar & Stoker awards. 

Her newest release is Sinister Tales a freaky little collection to get your heart racing.

I was fortunate enough to be able to ask the great BSM some very daft questions, so hopefully not your usual interview and more of a cheeseontoastgrilling!

What is your favourite sandwich? Drink? Chocolate/candy bar? (you can just pick one if you like!) 
I'm a sandwich fiend. Put it between bread, I'll eat it. Chocolate covered fingers are good. Seriously, I like tomato sandwiches, ham salad sandwiches, tuna salad sandwiches, and peanut butter and jelly.I like French Dip sandwiches with thinly sliced roast beef and dipped in beautiful brown beef nectar. I like meatball sandwiches. I like patty melts. Take it, put it on bread, add honey mustard or Kraft salad dressing and I'll eat it. Favorite drink-coffee. Favorite candy bar-Hershey's chocolate bar, no almonds.

Do you have a favourite place to write?
I can write anywhere so I don't have a favorite spot. I used to work at a desk. Then I sat in my easy chair with my laptop. Now I ride in an air-ride seat in a large truck and I write this way.

Who or What is your personal favourite character/novel? 
Hard to pick just one. Maybe today it's LeStat in Rice's INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE. As in the movie version, it would be cool to be Brad Pitt and immortal.

If you had a theme track, what would it be? 
Old Bob Dylan songs or some Paloma Faith.

You are also writing your “memoirs” so who would play you and key members of your life in the televised series? 
I have no idea! Some small dark actress. For my mother, Jessica Lange, definitely because she plays looney so well.

And back to silly, if you could have any supernatural power what would it be? The ability to be invisible so I could disappear when I'm annoyed or angry because otherwise people get an earful. Or the ability to fly so I could take to the air and go all over the world. I would go there invisible, though, so I wouldn't attract crowds. We know how they acted to Superman. And pointing is rude.

My best endorsement for BSM is that when things go bump in the night in her house it's probably because they are trying to escape her imagination!

Now onto the review of her latest release; Sinister Tales.

Sinister: woah, now that’s a way to start. Do you ever consider what you bring back from holiday, what happens when it breaks? The freakishness has begun.

Transformed; The Kindness of Strangers: this little tale left me feeling a little sick to my stomach, no gore was needed for this, just the “kindness of strangers”. How people get their fun is quite sickening sometimes and BSM manages to tie it all down neatly.

Saving the System: I am wondering what berry or mushroom BSM ate before she wrote this one! It’s a true morality tale with a horror/sci-fi? twist.

Skins of our Fathers:  A short little story of a lonely hairless thing in the forest. Don’t trust anyone is the lesson here. Was he really saved? A little on the weird side, but entertaining.

Cursed: A cursed chair, not so spooky you might think. This gripped me and left me never wanting to sit down on anything but plastic again! A centuries long tale of possession, the last paragraph gave me goosebumps.

Dying in L.A.: BSM does not need horror or gore scenes to put the heebie-jeebies in your soul. Her ability to switch characters is brilliant, as you follow the story of “Rulebook” and his search the killer.

The Impossible: when you go mad why is it only you that knows it? Or was he?  grotesquely awesome.

Hell & Brimstone: A short tale of discovery, love, murder? and woe... How BSM manages to pack so much story, emotion and life into such a little space astounds me! The discovery and initial disbelief journey of a young women with the ability to start fires.... OH I hear you cry that’s been done before... yes, but NOT like this! You won’t be expecting what she manages to do with it or how her life turns out.

Out of the Sky: Aliens!! And very clever ones at that, they won’t need health care that’s for sure. The humour in this story only served to highlight the horror.

Shadowed Things: Thanks for that BSM I now need to sleep with the light on! This really gave me the shudders. Maybe the thing in the closet is real.

White Skulls: Great story about a flenser; a person who strips flesh from bones for a living, with the help of a vacuum and some beetles! An angry mob, an irksome boss.... who knows our downfall!
The gory bits are so bluntly written as to be normal, I read twice to make sure I had it correct.

Unreliable: well I always say I don’t find ghost stories scary; you got me on this one! I turned my light on when I went out to the bathroom.

Verboten: my heart was in my mouth with this little short, the emotions of love that BSM is able to evoke make this all the more creepy. When Mira goes missing her devoted sister must find her, at all costs.

Tru-Blood: Bigfoot, Wendigos, dances with drums, cannibalism, this has it all. My stomach did a bit of a flipflop at the end.



Monday 14 October 2013

End of the Challenge



So I have come end of my reading challenge for my holidays.

It is a sad moment, but along the way I have had all sorts of adventures. Emotions have been wrung out of me from some amazing authors. I have been happy, sad, scared, spooked, crying and at one point livid and left wanting to "face palm"...



But I have thoroughly enjoyed myself and can say what a brilliant holiday I have had, minus the tan!



Along the way, thanks to anthologies, author links & some Amazon suggestions I have managed to pick up another 27 books.  I may have to now hide from the Hubby when he sees the bank statement.




BUT I am thoroughly looking forward to all of them, first on the list will be some blog catching up, especially this one  An Interview with Tracy Tufo oh, and Mark! from one of my favourite authors and bloggers TW Brown. I am proud to be a Tal- BOT  and a Fan of the DEAD.

and by the way, just for the giggle, this was sent to me, let me know what you think!!

DEAD: Reborn by TW Brown



Just a small word of warning if you have not read books 1-6 then don’t bother with this one!!

A not so gentle reintroduction to the main groups, there is so much loss and grief still abound in this new chapter of the DEAD series, it’s almost heartbreaking.

TW Brown does brilliantly well with pulling at your emotions whilst giving you a good gorefest; there are some really happy moments too so don’t think it’s all doom and gloom.

The change in mood from Steve to Billy is refreshing as a new "eye" is cast over the situation; almost a naivety.

It is hard to review what is going on with each group without giving some of the suspense away as it is so packed with action and the rotation style of writing (a beautiful nod to George R.R.Martin) kept me riveted to my seat which was just as well with all the cliffhangers that TWB throws at you.

I am loving the new editions of Katrina and Simon, please don’t let them be bad guys or get killed off too quickly.

I have so many questions!
What's with the creepy kid zombies, are they evolving? If so, into what? And why!
And the whole “nukes on a train” thing….
Ohmergerd at Kevin at the end, the ultimate white knuckle grip on my poor Kindle.

I am always amazed at the dystopian world that is painted by the zompoc authors, nothing goes well, no one finds any happiness, the constant struggle, the unending flood of human depravity, how strong is the will to survive? And for what? I guess that’s why I really stopped to think when the London, UK, crew stop for a drink and talk about happy memories.
  
The books must be getting shorter as I managed to munch my way through this in a six hour sitting! write faster!

My parting shot has to be…. What is it with cats and zombie writers?





Sunday 13 October 2013

Splatterpunk Saints - charity anthology


So this was advertised as a ‘Pay it forward’ organization. Fantastic idea!

After my last disastrous anthology read I was really not sure what to expect but it wasn't THIS.

A beautiful collection of poetry begins the book. I can't review them individually as some are only a few sentences long, others are many pages, but as a collection it was refreshing, humorous  charming and a real soul cleanser even if they were mostly scary, gory, horror filled or just downright spooky!

"worms crawl in, maggots crawl out"  or "It was just past November but not quite December"

RED, Crime Scene Footage & The Village were my favourites.

Then came some short stories.

Prisoner on Chamber Lane by AM Reign: poor Sara what a rotten start to life and then it only gets worse. The torturous description of the fingers really had me gagging.  The question "why" and then "who cares" really freaked me out in the middle. A really great read.

There Goes The Neighbourhood by Murphy Edwards: it was a fun read, sort of, with two old ladies bickering in a car whilst a burglar ransacks their house. The ending was funny but stomach churning.

Necrofreaks by Timothy Frasier: sexed up teenagers in a cemetery  what can go wrong! well reanimated corpses, Nephilium, demons, you name it! Well written with an exciting pace as you are dragged the climax, which does not disappoint.

Red on the Head by Timothy Frasier: a strange little story that I couldn't really get in to.

Headcase by Lori R. Lopez: from the first line you cant help but giggle in gruesome fascination. As the tale winds it way to the finale in the bunker.... well, you need to read it!

Fire & Brimstone by Paul DeThroe:  a real twist in the tale, some strange torture scenes but grossness is WAY out there.

On The Road Again by Mark C. Scioneaux: Chad the serial killer, oh but he is an animal lover, so not totally bad IMO! Brilliant twist.

'Til Death Do Us Part by William Cook: blimey never mind a woman scorned. A wonderfully written total grossfest.

Dark World Tirade by Jonathon Dark: I couldn't really get into the rhythm that the author was trying to convey.

Bereft by James Ward Kirk: what's in the cellar? and who is the more mad, killer or cop?

Filthy Water by Alex Stephens: I found the staccato writing very hard to engage with, so I think I missed half the story.

Victims of Evolution by Chantal Noordeloos: the zompoc is neatly , if gruesomely, described. The attempted survival of a family, the inevitable failure. Then came the evolution, so what would happen if nature were to exert its force over zombies? read and see.....

Dark Dwellings by Dale Eldon: Actors in a haunted house, but not all are what they seem, a good premise with some yucky scenes, a really good read. At the beginning I was a bit dissuaded by the main characters downer comments on the horror culture of today, a shame that "everyone" harks make to yesteryear - things move on! 

Dealer of Death by Mark Gardener: a strange glimpse into Hell and deal done with the Devil. Nicely written, almost on the first person but not quite.

One Night in October by Michael Bray: inside a killers mind, yup its dirty. I felt like a needed a shower after this one.

The Roadie by K. Trap Jones: very clever; song lyrics that take you to Hell with a few really great nods to Metal Bands. Some fantastic imagery is conveyed, as if being drenched in the Devils blood is not bad enough he vomits on a few people! I really enjoyed this little story, and love when I find a new author to stalk (sorry, follow) - thats the BEST bit about anthologies.

The Vegetarian Zombie by K. Trap Jones: I'g glad I was not eating my lunch during this amusing tale of veggie turned zombie! I this was my favourite.

The Thing in the Shadows by Donald White: eeeek, this was really freaky, a goblin in the woods, a tale of discovery and revenge. It really gave me the shivers.

The Monsters of Capital Hill by Robert Holt: I love when humour and outright daftness plays a part in horror, that wonderful ease of tension before the slap around the head. As myths and monsters battle it out it all becomes a bit teeth, fur and claw.

Mary Me by Alex Stephens & James Ward Kirk: theories of two, dancing mice, murderers and mad Drs. All very peculiar but intriguing. 

Part of Me by Paula D. Ashe: I'm not sure if the author meant to be offensive or not but I did not see the point in the homophobic or racist jibes, so sorry, I could not finish this, maybe I missed a good story.

Parkland by William Markly: a very strange concept, a ?succubus transformed from a vampire post a deal with the Devil. As she floats around her chosen Banquet she feeds on the suffering she comes across many ghosts, which freak her out, ha! not as much as me reading the tale.

The Teppanyaki of Truth by Andrew Freudenberg:  a strange way to gratify a desire for something tasty, but what a wonderful way too.



Saturday 12 October 2013

Not all Doom & Gloom!

So with two not so good books in a row I am bit "read out", but then THIS "one week to release" dropped into my inbox and my excitement levels rose!!

The next few days promise to good ones, I still have the new DEAD-Reborn from TW Brown to read and a new genre to me the Splatterpunk anthology.

As Friday rolls around and work looms I have this new little gem from Heath Stallcup to look forward to!



Darlings Of Decay - anthology




A pre-warning, the blurb for this says "stories & excerpts" maybe I missed the excerpts bit because quite a few of these chapters were just lumps of other stories, enticements into buying the full story from the author. Not sure I like that style of anthology.


What Zombies Fear by Laura Bretz: it all started with a weird phone call, then a mad bite laden drive through country lanes, as the main character (Ryan) struggles to get home to his beloved wife - LB really ratcheted up the tension and the emotions felt by this perfect couple. She also gave a  great sense of despair and there was a real element of spook. Ryan's "journey" did make me smile a few times. The ingenious use of duct tape - its a fix-all!! I didn't really understand the end but thought the premise would make a great full length novel. I also want their house!  great load of links at the end of the story, and I look forward to her first novel.

Bob by Tonia Brown: a humorous, zen thinking zombie but with no set un-life desire to reach the top of the munching pile, until poor work shy Bob finds his true calling. brilliant!  TB really manages to inject some humour into the grotesque.

Just Another Day by Chantal Boudreau: supermum in the ZomPoc, its a hardship juggling so much, but Margot does well. CB really draws you into this little family unit and then does a big WooHoo at the end. Very enjoyable.

Mr Romero's Warriors by Catt Cahman: very short but also very haunting, I was left with an "omg what did I just read" feeling. 

Descent by Mia Darian: a very strange little tale of Gods, zombies and sacrifice. I did not really get into this story as felt the "telling" of the story odd and the mix of genres too weird; for me!

Flesh Seekers by CM Doporto: I loved the clever way that CMD conveyed information without long spiels, just little infobombs. The dystopian world that she depicts is filled with horrors,  and her gore descriptions were grossly wonderful. I felt a bit cheated on this one though as it ends with an advert for the continuing of the story.  meh, not good, IMO if I want to like the authors work and buy it I will do but not because I was lured in during an anthology. 

Zombie Battle by Jacqueline Druga: another temptation piece to get you hooked on the author, without a complete story. Not impressed. Although I was with the story and the writing. 

You'll Never Eat Lunch in this Town Again by Dana Fredsti: lots of film references, which if you like movies you will enjoy. The blasé way the zombie issue is dealt with is hysterical and the "show must go on". I really enjoyed this.

Payback by Belinda Frisch: again, this is merely a little stuffed in short to entice you (the reader) to buy the bigger novel. Sorry, I already paid for an anthology and I expect full stories. 

I'll Love You Forever, But... by April Grey: I had to snort when its the slimey mud covered socks that really miff our Lady regarding her zombie husband and that is only the start of this brilliant short story. I will definitely be on the look out for more. MY favourite.

Excerpts... Michelle Kilmer & Rebecca Hansen: NOPE! I wont half read a story, sorry.

The Fruit of Thy Womb by Lori R. Lopez: I'm glad this lovely, well known to me, author came next or I would have given up on this book. However the story is not lovely, the world has gone to poop and poor Ziggy has had a tough time, the dejection and gloom in his world so delicately chronicled by LRL. Flies with teeth, aaah thats almost as bad as spiders with wings! As the story flits back and forth in time zones and the stories of the three main characters revolve, it really gives you a sense of what has occurred as the horror unfolds. Its certainly a unique take on the zompoc!

Scarred by Suzi M: short and snappy! thankfully I have read ALL the stories by this author so feel I know her well, this was a very short show of her talent.

The One in the Basement by Tara Maya: Marlie is the Queen of Kitsch. I was in giggleheaven with PooTube & Twatter. A "lovely" little story of family love - really enjoyed this. 

Sundered by Shannon Mayer: another advert, and SO much of a story to end nowhere.

Zombified by Lyra Mcken: aw what a sad little zombie tale of two children slowly turning into zombies, very clever writing shows off the confusion and emotion. The prologue was inspired.

Zombie Awakening by Cynthia Melton, Hope for A Happy ending by by Kristen Middleton,  The Zombie Chroncicles by Chrissy Peebles & The Sickness by Jeannie Rae:  more short stories enticing to you buy the novel - I bought this one, this function of testing a book is available via Amazon.

At this point I am NOT wasting any more of time reading. I am sorry to the remaining authors who contributed.

In future I will be a little more careful in what anthologies I buy and not just go on the few names that I recognise. 





Challenge Interrupted; to review or not to review.....

So, anyone following this blog will be aware that during my annual leave I am doing a book reading challenge.

Up until now I have thoroughly enjoyed all the books, then yesterday I pulled up with an abrupt stop. Jeff Carlson author of the much enjoyed  Plague Trilogy, which I originally found as a discarded book on a beach and was so enthralled I bought the whole lot on Kindle. (Yes, I still love REAL books!) stumped me with Interrupt.

Ok, I understand that to read sci-fi or horror you have to have a huge suspension of disbelief most of the time, but this was just ridiculous.

*there will be spoilers*

The main characters were poorly written with rubbish back and ongoing stories and just didn't develop in themselves or add to the overall book/story other than to irritate.

The author would have you believe that devastating solar flares are just going to suddenly happen with no warning, despite all the boringly illogical science that is thrown at you in the early chapters, so much so I felt like I was cramming for my science exams. Oh, and said flares make us revert back to Neanderthals (which is so inaccurate) or if you have ASD you will be come "normal". (dont even go there, it got worse)

Marcus, the astronomer, got right on my pip with his constant whining about his son and his random brain farts, and what was all the rampant sex about, it was not even good! It was hinted at with stupid lines like as she put her hand down expecting blood (seriously what sex do you have where you expect blood!) and only found her own excitement - shudder

For someone supposedly so smart he was still trying to start a car after a worldwide EMP, that he knew about and was trying to predict! Oh and he was also an expert on gene therapy!!?!

The other main character, Emily; a gene therapy labrat, who is also an expert on solar flares (imagine that!), cant decide whether she is in love with her stunningly gorgeous boyfriend or just shagging him to piss her mother off.     She bangs on (and on) about being able to develop a gene therapy that will "cure" the autistic & Neanderthal people, whilst the Earth is slowly being cooked and all of nature is being torn asunder, with a mere blood test and microscope - Amazing!

She drove me up the wall with her racist comments and "trial observations". She noted that groups of people divided in to colours (oh yes) because that is what happened at the start of our evolution!, she was able to diagnose autism with a conversation (wow what a skill) and then goes on to happily abuse and lie to those that she finds, and when she spots a group of feral men with weapons covered in blood she invites them into her hiding space as she feels sorry for them, huh. Oh and she thought wearing a computer cover on head would shield her from solar flares. 

The over the top bashing at the start re all the technical jargon was really hard going, but only served to highlight the lack of medical information, you can't just jab a needle in someone in the middle of a war zone and get a blood sample. 

The military element was provided by a one dimensional jet pilot who was such a hardened military man that he fell for his boss in just one kiss - what!  and wanted to "get back out there", in his jet and kill all the Chinese, er EMP? even though he had keratitis from the solar flares and couldn't see a power-point presentation (whoops suspend belief again as THAT pc works!), oh yeah that's so safe!

And then there was this weird Chinese issue? Is it just USA and China on the planet then?

And the shoe issues?

I stopped at 46% as the diatribe regarding autism vs retardedness, the obvious racial comments and stupidity regarding evolution/validity of creationism had me wanting to fling my Kindle at the wall. 

So, my first bad review and I do feel, well bad :(

My usual review sites are Shelfari, Amazon & Goodreads (yes I know they are all connected; but if you can suggest more PLEASE do!) and I scoured these for reviews as I did not want to be the only person who hated this book, I wasn't.