undeadcow

Gorey Campfire Stuff

Reviewed: 03-20-25 Listener received this title free

Macabra sketches with weird stuff not afraid of gore; much better than I expected. Some of the stories felt under developed but overall well told with a campfire story vibe. There are unusual creatures that get introduced and fade out in some stories and in others a lingering teasing buildup. A few have a military vibe that feels authentic include one about a watch that was my favorite tale. The narrator worked better than I expected with a grandfatherly almost kermit sound but who took on characters well. If anything stories tended to be too short and not overstay and the variety of tales is nice. (Reviewer received a free book for honest review)⁰

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Casual Modern Pulp

Reviewed: 03-20-25 Listener received this title free

Light horror goosebumps style with a surfer dude style narrator and modern sensibilities. At first I was disappointed the scares weren't more 'extreme' and that the narrator's casual tone lacked gravity. Eventually I was able to best enjoy the stories as cartoonish pop culture references with a bit of macabra to them. The narrator's vibe fits the 'saturday morning scares' feel of the shorts and they inter splice occasional other voices that work well. This isnt to say there's not a bit of gore and total weirdness between Star Wars and Redbox references. (Reviewer received a free book for an honest review).

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I Am A Good Swimmer Who Drowned in Bryan's Bluff

Reviewed: 02-23-25 Listener received this title free

I enjoyed Bryan's Bluff much more than I expected. Character drama strengths help a murder mystery along. The writer seems to be having fun with things and the plot gives a structure to hanging out with Alex, her twin brother, and crew through their past trauma and current hangups. While it is a book about a surprising number of deaths it is also first a book about people. I really liked the breezy vibe of the social circles. The murder mystery stuff helped lend a gravity to things. Sometimes the mystery plot seemed to proceed too easily, that the hero happened to see a somewhat obvious discrepancy no one else found but thankfully that's really not the focus for suspense (since it's an after the fact investigation). There is a military culture vibe that gives some character to people here but seems like it may be more important in future books. I am looking forward to Cooper's Creek.

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1 person found this helpful

Drink the Koolaid

Reviewed: 02-14-25 Listener received this title free

A unique flavor of horror with a nicely odd premise. In the end I felt a little unsatisfied with it but I could admire it was trying to break the mold. There is a duel perspective approach that works well as a plot device opposing a horror figure and a jilted musician brainstorming suicide. I especially liked a subplot involving a mask that gives us a neat perspective twist. At it's best there is a dark humor but at it's worst developments seemed random - a relatively simple plot was too embellished by peppering in some gore or an angry perspective. Elements of 'extreme horror' didn't gel, or make sense other than just being far out - intestines get thrown at us for manufactured shock rather than us not being able to help but trip over innards because of the plot (in fact some gore elements seem like a weird distraction from a cosmic evil itself, a game show overshadowed by the personality of it's host). I enjoyed the narration which is a female voice that shows good range and sometimes seems pleasantly mismatched for some of the courser content - like listening go a wholesome homey voice launch into an angry scene of suicidal cussing. Some of the dark energy to the storyline doesn't quite work like an odd way in which a killer speaks that sometimes feels more hammy than scary (but it plays on trickster traditions so I can see the archetype). In the end it felt like the story should have gone further than it did but keeping the perspective to one of the characters and his catharsis was not uninteresting. [I was provided with a free code for an honest review].

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2 people found this helpful

Velvety Treasure

Reviewed: 02-09-25 Listener received this title free

A sleuthing generational missing person with phantasm surreal imagery. It mines a feeling of old Hollywood and family discord for dramatic elements; and felt more like a surreal drama than a scary horror. There are multiple tendrils of romance and lack of romance leading back to a missing actress whose daughter can't help be drawn to investigate in part because of her own child. Both are cursed with far out hallucinations and tell tale moldy dark imagery that distress theme; which helps the plot feel more nightmarish and works as a plot device. The narration gels with the plot, of a female voice that fits my vision of the lead and much of the plot can feel like a running internal dialogue. You could feel the draw of the plot pulling the lead alone. Emphasis on mood and psychological elements artfully paced - it's more a mystery than a horror and I enjoyed it's pacing and it didn't overstay. [Note: I received a code for an honest review]

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Character Driven & Aimless, Compulsive Sometimes

Reviewed: 05-03-24

Writing a review of the series having finished Endfall. The first three books are the best and at times compelling near addictive stuff. The cool mystery of the 'godblades' is a great hook and the emphasis on characters is brilliant at first. However over time (after books 1 or 2 but into 3, 4, and especially 5) rather than there being a plot development it's character driven to a fault. Rather than the action of gothic horse riding knights with burning blades that adorn the book covers it's an endless parade of Mirs telling jokes or how the dwarves might respond to Katherine; but in the absence of strong plot hooks. For example there is a ragtag group of people that somehow change their situation to return to the same situation again somehow and again (repetitive)... it's more about characterization and fodder for banter than their situation. What is there of plot often feels familiar takes notes from stuff like Star Wars, superheroes, or other pop culture threads. I enjoyed Magefall the best but found books 4 and 5 to diminish and with a 'god machine' style end that made me feel I wish I hadn't invested 100+ hours into it.

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