Updates and More: Muscle Memory 2. Beast Within 2. Never Never Stories. Seeded. Monster Hunter Alpha. Ghost Story.

It's been a long time since last I updated with interesting upcoming titles, so, here's a new update.

Steve Lowe's continues the story to his Bizarro Novella Muscle Memory published earlier this year by Eraserhead Press, with a free four part serial which he has been posting to his blog, called Muscle Memory 2: More Memory, More Muscle. For those of you who have read Muscle Memory and enjoyed it as much as I did, you can jump on over to Steve's site HERE and read the first few serials and catch up.

The continuing story includes many of the same characters from Muscle Memory, as well as a whole new can of worms.

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On the short story front, Graveside Tales, publisher of such novels as The Wide Game by Michael West and Huffer by Michael Hultquist, have released their newest anthology. Beast Within 2: Predator & Prey includes such talented and amazing authors as: JG Faherty, Joshua Reynolds, Richard Farnsworth and Michael West.

Here's the synopsis: Predator and prey. Hunter and hunted. These aren't your usual shapeshifter stories. These are the stories of bears, tigers, spiders, birds and more. Werewolves in steampunk England. Werespiders in Japan. Werepelicans in Louisiana. Wereferrets in New York. This is an anthology that shifts the normal perceptions of who is the predator and who is the prey. Come take a walk on the wild side with the most unusual of guides and enjoy Beast Within 2.


It's out now and ready for you to purchase. Take your pick: Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, or BookDepository.com.

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Also soon to see print in trade-paperback sometime in August, is author Jason Sanford's new collection of stories called Never Never Stories. Out now in e-book, Never Never Stories is published through Spotlight Publishing.

Here's a list of the ten stories that will see print:

• The Ships Like Clouds, Risen by Their Rains
• When Thorns Are The Tips of Trees
• Here We Are, Falling Through Shadows
• Rumspringa
• Millisent Ka Plays in Realtime
• Memoria
• Peacemaker, Peacemaker, Little Bo Peep
• Into the Depths of Illuminated Seas
• A Twenty-First Century Fairy Love Story
• The Never Never Wizard of Apalachicola

For more information, check out Jason Sanford's website for details on signed and numbered editions of Never Never Stories for cheap. And if the whole signed and numbered edition thing isn't for you, have no fear, you can still order it through these fine retailers: Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, and your local Indy bookstore.

Look for a review for this title in the near future.

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One of my favorite books from last year was Brine by Adrienne Jones. I'm happy to announce that Adrienne currently has another novel expected to release sometime next month. Seeded is Jones' newest novel from Mundania Press. Here's the synopsis for Seeded: 

Callum Doherty picks up a trinket from an odd jewelry dealer at a hippie music festival, "a good luck charm" the man tells him. But days after clasping the pendant around his neck, he discovers it can't be removed. After visiting every locksmith and jeweler in the city with no success, he reluctantly accepts he's stuck with the thing.

But when an overwhelming burst of success transforms him into a wealthy superstar overnight, he wonders what other sudden life changes are linked to the pendant -- like the terrifying shapeshifters he spies following him through the city slinking around his property, and watching him while he sleeps.

You can currently pick up Seeded for the kindle, HERE.

Look for a review for this title in the near future, as well.

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It's been almost a year, and fans are still clamoring for more of Owen Pitt and the Monster Hunter International crew. Well, faithful and loyal readers, have no fear: Monster Hunter Alpha just hit bookshelves. Which means that you shouldn't be reading this right now. Instead, you should be comfortably situated with your very own copy of Monster Hunt Alpha with your favorite drink and snack. For those of you who still aren't convinced, here's the synopsis from the back of the book:

Pitt never met a monster he couldn't shoot -- Except one. Earl Harbinger may be the leader of Monster Hunter International, but he's also got a secret. Nearly a century ago, Earl was cursed to be a werewolf. When Earl receives word that one of his oldest foes, a legendarily vicious werewolf that worked for the KGB, has mysteriously appeared in the remote woods of Michigan, he decides to take care of some unfinished business.

But Another force is working to bring about the creation of a whole new species of werewolf. When darkness falls, the final hunt begins, and the only thing standing in their way is a handful of locals, a lot of firepower, and Earl Harbinger's stubborn refusal to roll over and play dead.

And if that doesn't convince you that Monster Hunter International is a book you should be reading right now, then you should be slapped. You can find copies HERE and HERE.

A full review for Monster Hunter Alpha will be posted very shortly. Look for it soon.

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And finally, last but not least, is a title that geeks and nerds the world over have been waiting to get their grubby little hands on since they put down the last Harry Dresden novel. Ghost Story, after having been pushed back another several months, has finally seen the light of day. For those who don't know what it's about, here's the synopsis for it:

When we last left the mighty wizard detective Harry Dresden, he wasn't doing well. In fact, he had been murdered by an unkown assassin.

But being dead doesn't stop him when his friends are in danger. Except now he has no body, and no magic to help him. And there are also several dark spireits roaming the Chicago shadows who owe Harry some payback of their own.

To save his friends -- and his own soul -- Harry will have to pull off the ultimate trick without any magic...

And there you go, folks. Not a lot to go off of, but enough to satiate your craving just a little longer...

~Rodney

The Wide Game Book Review

Title: The Wide Game
Author: Michael West
Publisher: Graveside Tales
Pages: 408
ISBN: 9780983314103

There are fewer things that I look forward to than picking up a debut novel from an author whose work I've already read. For me, Michael West is one of those authors. In August of last year, I wrote a review for West's short story anthology Skull Full of Kisses, and loved it. As I've mentioned before, if a writer can prove their worth to me through the form of shorter works, then more times than not, I'm all over their debut novel.


Therefore, The Wide Game was a No-Brainer for me.

Here's the synopsis from the back of the book:

On the advice of his wife, Paul Rice is making plans to attend his 10th year High School reunion. Returning to his boyhood home of Harmony, Indiana, he finds that he is still haunted by memories of that time -- memories of Deidra, his first love, and memories of the Wide Game. It was ten years ago that Paul and his friends watched their day of fun become a race for their lives, a fight for their very souls.

Now, as he meets the survivors of that day once more, Paul makes a chilling discovery: the incomprehensible forces that toyed with them have yet to finish playing their own game.

After having read the synopsis for the first time, I thought that The Wide Game would be nothing more than a psycho-slasher thriller, with an upset ex-lover or escaped convict obsessed with the idea of revenge in whatever way possible. I mean, what better setting would there be for a slasher than a cornfield full of teenagers? I was glad to be proven wrong. The Wide Game is something far better than anything I could have hoped for.

As with Skull Full of Kisses, I found myself returning to the pages of the book for a second time, only a few days after having finished it the first time. Specifically to that of Harmony, Indiana; to Paul and Deidra; and to The Wide Game itself. And most of it had to do with the relationships between the characters; most notably: Paul and Deidra. Their relationship is at the core of the novel, and the thing that first grabbed my attention.

It seems as though what constitutes as Horror these days, -- both in prose and the screen -- is nothing more than a quick fix of blood, guts and shock value. With The Wide Game it is more than that, forcing the reader to think and digest as they go; a breath of fresh air for those who have finally decided to breath good air.


Real air.

Throughout The Wide Game, the setting switches several times between the present, and the past, beginning with Paul, and then delving in to the meat of the story: his adolescent love life, the situations that have defined him as an adult, and the Wide Game itself. As the story switches focus, the cast increases, and as I was being introduced to the different teenagers that populated the High School of Harmony, Indiana, -- specifically the cadre of friends that band together throughout parts of the novel -- I couldn't help but be reminded of the 80's film "The Breakfast Club." Although a subtle nod towards the culture of the 80's, West does a marvelous job with making the reader feel as though they really are in the 80's; deftly submerging the reader into the culture of the era, without bogging down the flow.

As with any first novel there are problems, but they are far and few between. Although an explanation is given for the reasoning behind the forces controlling the game itself, there's never a really in-depth explanation given. And then there's the pace of the tale: overall, it reads smoothly, but there are some parts that seem to bog down the flow of the story. However it's nothing that will deter from enjoying the characters, suspense and over all brilliance of the novel.

And one last bit of interest: the same person who did the cover for Michael's short story anthology Skull Full of Kisses, also did the cover for The Wide Game. Another spot on (in my opinion) portrayal of West's work by horror author Bob Freeman, whose novel Descendant, I recently reviewed.

I loved every single page of The Wide Game, it's that simple. That's why I'm giving it 9 out of 10 TARDIS's. It's an excellent debut novel, and I wouldn't be surprised if it makes it's way onto my Best of 2011 list.

If you're tired of the monotonous plague that has destroyed the label of Horror, enjoy being scared out of your skull, and falling in love with the characters, then The Wide Game will make an excellent addition to your library.

~Rodney

The Wide Game: News, Book Trailer and Pre-Order

Last August I did a review for Michael West's short story collection Skull Full of Kisses. Since then, I've been eagerly awaiting the newest release from West: The Wide Game, which just so happens to be his first novel through the same publisher, Graveside Tales.

Here's the synopsis from the back of the book:

On the advice of his wife, Paul Rice is making plans to attend his 10th year High School reunion. Returning to his boyhood home of Harmony, Indiana, he finds that he is still haunted by memories of that time–memories of Deidra, his first love, and memories of the Wide Game. It was ten years ago that Paul and his friends watched their day of fun become a race for their lives, a fight for their very souls.

Now, as he meets the survivors of that day once more, Paul makes a chilling discovery: the incomprehensible forces that toyed with them have yet to finish playing their own game.

Above is the recently released cover art for The Wide Game, created by the awesome Bob Freeman who did the cover art for West's short story collection, and author of Descendant (click for my review of the book).

And for those book nerds and geeks out there who enjoy watching book trailers, the book trailer for The Wide Game went live Friday. Masterfully filmed and edited by Darkrider Studios. For your viewing pleasure, here's the book trailer:

The Wide Game is set to drop on February 15th, but if you want to be comforted in knowing that you've already reserved your copy, you can do just that here. And for those of you interested in procuring your copies in other ways, here's the ISBN: 9780983314103

Look for my review of The Wide Game sometime in the next week.

~Rodney

Huffer Book Review

Title: Huffer

Author: Michael J. Hultquist

Publisher: Gravside Tales

Pages: 320

ISBN: 9780980133875

Huffer by Michael J. Hultquist is the newest book from Graveside Tales Publishing. What if you had the ability to see "evil" people, and had the power to do something about it? When a mysterious figure dressed in a hawaiian shirt appears to Gus Gerring after a stint of huffing paint in the middle of a cornfield, "Satan" as Gus refers to him, begins to show him things about people that no one would ever want to know about another person.

When the girl he loves doesn't return the affection,Gus spirals further into depression and begins huffing even more. But that's just the beginning. Soon, his world begins spiraling out of control: his mother and her boyfriend who are hiding a secret about his dead father, an uncle who has a particular affection for having his way with prostitutes and then offing them, a dream of the love of his life, and the local police who are after Gus for the winning Lotto numbers, and a man who wants to use Gus's special abilities to his advantage.

Gus quickly realizes that he can't control everything, even with Satan's help.

Huffer is an ambitious novel with some rather wonderful characters, such as the aforementioned Uncle Ham who has a taste for the macabre, -- having his way with prostitutes and then killing them -- and the mysterious figure which Gus refers to as "Satan": the indentity behind the visions that propels Gus's life into a Dive-Bomb.

Hultquist seems to have a firm grasp on the location in which the novel is set (always a good thing for an author), often times describing scenery with an outsiders eye effectively, drawing the reader in and keeping them there.

Characters and settings aside, nothing defines a novel more than the ending. And unfortunately Huffer suffers from a sloppy ending. As I read and grew closer and closer to the ending, I was expecting a climactic event that would leave me dumbstruck, and tie up all of the loose ends that were left hanging. However it didn't. In fact, I felt like I was reading an Indie Film: written with a sloppy, loose ending, intentionally written for the purpose of making the writer look smart; making the audience think for themselves, wondering what happens next.

For me, the mark of a great story teller is the ability to effectively be able to tell a story that leaves the reader still thinking about the events of the story longer after the books been put down, rather than dwelling on one or two major flaws that stand out like a sore thumb. For me, the ending was a sore thumb.

Just because the ending wasn't my cup of tea, it doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy reading Huffer, that's why I'm giving it 6.5 TARDIS's out of 10.


One last note: with Christmas fast approaching, I'd like to point out that right now Graveside Tales has a sale on for those with a Kindle and are interested in picking up a digital copy of Huffer, that the publisher currently has Kindle Editions of their books for only $2.99, so if you've got the pocket change to spare, download it and read it for yourself.

~Rodney

Skull Full of Kisses Book Review

Title: Skull Full of Kisses
Author: Michael West
Publisher: Graveside Tales
Pages: 212
ISBN: 8790980133882

Lately I've been finding myself reading more and more short stories, and enjoying them more than the typical novel. There's been a few collections that have stunned me in the past, but every collection pails in comparison to Michael West's Skull Full of Kisses. There's only two words that come to mind when I think about this marvelous collection, and those are: disturbingly brilliant!

Every story contained in this small, but remarkable collection not only makes a person think, but plants that thoughtful seed in the readers mind. And with each passing story that's read, that seed begins to grow, until finally you've reached the end, and left with a stunningly beautiful and haunting apparition that will follow you long after you've read the last word.

Although the collection is short, it's solid, compact, and written with a passion that's hard to find. Every story reads like polished gold. "Jiki" -- the opening story -- deals with Koji Ogawa, the newest member of the Yakuza who comes face-to-face with something more sinister than the mobster could ever dream of. Then there's "Einstein's Slingshot," which reminded me of a love child between Jurassic Park, The Mist, and The Outer Limits. There's also "To Know How to See," a sci-fi/horror hybrid that will leave you questioning the true identity of everyone around you; and then there's one of my personal favorites: "Sanctuary," which deals with travelers seeking for refuge from a Himalayan snow storm, but find something more when they hole up with a group of monks. And finally, to round out the collection, is "Goodnight," a heart-string plucking tale of a grandfather recounting a real-life bedtime story to his grandson.

I've read this collection five times in the last three months, and each time I've finished the book I've found myself stunned at what an amazing collection Skull Full of Kisses really is.West knows and loves his genre, and shows and shares it, with a remarkable ability to craft tales, and flesh out characters that feel alive. That's why I'm giving Skull Full of Kisses an 8.5 out of 10.

If you're looking for something that will seriously mess with your head long after you've put it down, I would highly suggest picking up a copy of Michael West's Skull Full of Kisses.