Oktoborror Fest 14/15/16 - Sister Death & Il signor diavolo & Within

 Going to review  the three movies as I don't have much to speak of them

Sister Death (2023) it's a very interesting folk horror movie more focus on a presence/ghost that is haunting  a new nun and the covenant itself. I cannot in good question give a good rating. It's a slow pace movie with the a AH conclusion but I would say if you have watch Veronica by the same guy (Which this one is a prequel) you may not enjoy it. I've watch several of his movies, some I would gladly advise like the REC series (3) all of them pretty good. Veronica is indeed his best.  The curveball in the end was the best part.

It's a bit confusing to be fair, and it has some interesting parts. I mean if you have 1h30m you can definitely watch it. Don't be bored. 5/10

Il signor diavolo his is a Italian movie where we follow a kind of investigator (he is not really one) about some incidents in a small village. that village is important due to voting (don't know why) and so he sent to appease the townhall. The movie is all over the place with stories within stories. It's very confusing and at times you don't know which timeline you are following. After a while it become easier and I thought that the story was good - unfortunately was a bit bored, the main actor was very bland. The person moving forward was just a boy and he was to my perspective the main character. If you enjoy quite horror , slow pace and then BANG watch it.  5.5/10

Within is a horror flick with the same girl from the Boys (the tv show - the one that plays Starlight) and a bunch of other unknown people. The story is quite normal, we've got a new family going to a new home to start a new life. Unfortunately not all things work as indented as there is a creepy neighbour. Initially the father is just dumb pleaser and lets him help them out but things escalate.  But things are not what it seems as the evil on this tale is show to be another, is it a ghost OR something else? Going into spoilers. Yes it's something else. It seems someone is living on that house for over 10 years hidden within the floorboards and attic and such. He was a claustrophic boy. Two families come and went (not pleasantly) but now this family is escalating. I mean... how can he survive for over ten years if he can't leave the house? When there are families I kind understand but when there aren't? Then, have you heard of Vitamin D deficiency? The last part of the movie is slow motion and I think it really screw things up... I Will have to warn it , it doesn't end well. It was good. Strangely enough the credits are the other why around. 7/10

There is no nudity in the three movies.

Oktoborror Fest 13 - Alarums Richard Laymon (1992) Book

 

Of all the books I've read of Laymon (that I can remember) this is the least violent.

We've follow a couple and the sister of the woman plus the stepmother and the friend of the father of the girls. 5 Characters total.

First of all, calling this Horror is a stretch. It's a thriller. A fast pace thriller with a mix of a mystery.

So we've got Melanie that has a seizure and sees her sister\father having an acident. Being that the last time she had her mother died she returns home with Bodie (the boyfriend). Right from the start you kind understand there is some beef between both sisters. Melanie says that every boy that she loved (and dated) has switch to the hot sister (Pen). Bodie says that will not happen. So they arrive home where they understand what it was their father who had accident. The new wife starts to behave a little strangely as she invites her husband colleague to help her. Meanwhile Pam has been receiving hardcore sexual threats.

The story progress kind of what you expect from Laymon. Some more or less graphic sexy scenes and one thing is sure in all of his books, he can built tension.

Unfortunately you kind know what is going to happen. I am going into spoilers as soon as you see the hot sister you know that Brodie is going to be with her - the only thing that you don't know is how. As I've said men reading this want to identify with him BUT you want a clean mind getting into her - so you know something is going to happen to the sister - either killed or she finds someone else and he is free to be with the hot girl. Well she becames a crazy woman.... touché. .

I kind understand why people would not enjoy his stuff- he makes beautiful hot woman to drool over and one guy that you imagine it's you. What's the difference between this and the Romantsy genre? NONE! So why all the crap against him? I enjoy it. But not my favourite

Oktoborror Fest 12 - Scrapbook by Iain Wright Rob (2025) Book

The author wanted to tell you a narrative and then wrote a beautiful book around it.

I will say that the beginning is the worst and then turn out good.

I am going to shit a bit on the politics behind this:

Rant

So what have we learn so far in the first 45 pages? The poor migrants :( families that are crossing the channel - this is just crap. Over 80% of migrants passing the channel are young men! not "woman and children". Don't gaslight people please.

"In the year ending December 2025, approximately 17% of long-term immigrants were women and children combined." taken from some official UK website.

We also learn about the bad Christians who want their country back & a white men beating his wife. I see a pattern here don't worry.

Another thing I just learn (I am of course mocking) is that the legacy media hates migrants. No they don't. You see it on the TV, Series, investigation everything. It's always "poor migrants". Only now some companies are changing behaviour because unfortunately they cannot hide it anymore.

The explanation about , what other way they can enter your country - well you know that you can enter a country legally right? You just go through the airport or train and enter via customs. That phrase of... if you let anyone enter bad and good people enter, if you stop - well fuck me with a pineapple sideways- JUST DO IT LEGALLY!"

I am not mocking or anything like that BUT I hope one day these people don't have to live in a country where the majority of the population is Islamic and hates them and persecutes them, because no other Islamic country has any sympathy for Christians. They will not do what European Christians do for them. That's a given.

Review

This book is a bit different from the normal zombie stuff out there. It's not a tale that focus on survival but in this case it focus on the first steps of a zombie apocalypse which was a fresh of breath air. We follow three people, one is Lenny which is a journalist (the one he tried to push the narrative above) another is Caz which is a woman on a toxic relationship and Max a store clerk which is dealing with his own crap at home and at work.

In the beginning we are told how this started (this flu) and this medicine companies that are creating virus on labs so they can push the medicine - imagine covid stuff but imagine covid created on purpose to sell stuff... (Who the heck knows). Then with the help of some migrants they brought the disease to Europe (mainly focus on UK). So stuff happens and in the beginning nothing major is happening, just a mild flu, then some people start to change and become a bit craze. We can't really talk it's zombies because technically they aren't dead. The main focus again is on the tales of the above characters, this all zombie apocalypse going on is more on the side-track. You've go Max which is dealing with depression and alienation from other people, at the same time complete lack of support from his parents which he has to pay rent to sleep there. There is another character within his arc which is heather which is trying to open a restaurant but from the time being she is amassing money. There is a odd love interest there. You've got the boss of both which is a moron - strict to the rules kind of guy. Lenny which again is trying to avenge the reputation of the journal he works and wants to uncover the real stuff around migrants. It's a do gooder. He ends up helping first a migrant family and later on he encounters Caz. Caz is a normal woman who works and then deals with the shit at home (with a kid) while her companion do nothing but feels entitled to everything. After some altercation she leaves home with her child but unfortunately she has diabetes and left her medication at home.

I am not going to spoil much for your guys but yes, the book is not hard to read or follow. It's quite good. This is my third book by him and although I did have some issues (see RANT) I end up enjoying it. He could easily do this a series of the surviving as the book ends in the first or second day of the apocalypse.

Oktoborror Fest 10 - John's Carpenter - Ghosts of Mars (2025) - Movie

I've watched this movie several times, probably half a dozen times and I really enjoy it. There hasn't been one of his books I've not enjoy. I should do like a movie marathon of his movies.

This movie is set on Mars , in 2700's something and there is a breathable atmosphere - not totally but partial. The society is living there is now a Matriarch based instead of Patriarch based and woman are the dominants ones. In the beginning of the book they try to emphasize this which then it slowly grows away. Is it explained? No.

So in the beginning we are introduced to the sole survivor of a group of police officers (in mars) that are trying to get one criminal to the main city of the planet. As they arrive to the miner town something is off as no one is about. After the initial investigation they start finding people dead in some of the most weird ways PLUS some people have "transformed" and now do some weird body horror stuff to themselves - purpose? I don't know. We never learn.

So it seems an alien beings were released after an explosion and take the bodies of humans and then start killing people. That's it.

Why this beings don't possessed everyone? We don't know. 

Who put the beings on that catacombs? We don't know.

How could they be there without leaving? They are incorporeal why not go through cracks or so? We don't know.

Why sometimes you kill a person and he comes back to you while others - when per example they kill around 50 of these monsters- where were these beings off to? Are they stranded there where the body fell or they travel to a respawn place? More, if they escape , if they leave their place will why not possessed then?

What are the rules for possession? Is it random, is it like a trait? Why could she be possessed and cast it out? The only explanation would be that she is main character.

The ending of the movie was quite good. OVerall I've enjoyed it but so many questions....

There is no nudity here although if you really want to see Natasha Henstridge nude please watch either Species, Maximium Risk, Seal, widow on the hill or Badge of Honor. You're wellcome

Oktoborror Fest 11 -Starship Trooper 2 - Heroes of the Federation (2004 - Movie)

This book it's not a sequel of the first. It's another chapter that follows the first one. You've got new characters in a new world. THey are stranded there and so they escape to an outpost where they become surrounded by thousands of Zergs. The story is not horror per se, although it's less military sci-fi than the previous one and more horror like as we've got a new type of Zerg. One that can enter and take over a human body and they have a goal.

This movie is a flick and it's good but it's a cult sci-fi classic for a reason. Although it's low budget it provided what lovers of good sci-fi horror wanted. It has a low rating as to be expected but it serves the purpose. Not material for hollywood but good for Sy-Fy channel. 

There are some interesting characters like the psyker, the general or Jax.  What's interesting is that Brenda Strong appears on this movie as she appered on the first. The difference is that in the first she was a Navy Captain and died. Here she is a Marine Sgt and... also died.  

It's one of those movies to watch on your second screen while you play a videogame.

Nudity: There is some as all other Starship Troopers movies. It's Kelly Carlson. She basically show her boobs a couple of scenes.

Oktoborror Fest 09 - Daddy's Head (2024) - Movie

This is a slow burn movie with some jump scares. The movie starts with the death of a man leaving behind the son   (around 10/12) and his step-mother. She has some doubts on keeping the child but innitially she says she will. The boy is not conformed with the dead of the father and becomes quite erratic and "seeing" his father. Innitially nothing major but as the days pass we've got a dead dog, disturb grave of the father among other things. We see the breakdown of the woman and I will say she had a great role on this movie. 

About the monster, well it's kind of weird as it's hinted it's a alien being that uses the fears and pain of the family against them.... or isn't?  

The story progress and the incidents keep getting worse and the stepmother is thinking about leaving the boy to the friend of the family. The ending is quite gruesome but it ends fast. Julia Brown did a great job and she is very beautiful.

There is no nudity whatsoever - I believe the monster was well done - it's thought provocative and it has a great atmosphere. Pace wise is bad. Writing is not that good as well. Overall a nice addition.

Oktoborror Fest 08 - Mr Buzzkill (2025) - Movie

This movie was just bad. We've got this people around the fire talking about some massacres that happened a while back.  It's a low budget book and it shows in the acting and plotline. They tried to do something interesting with the way they are telling the tales but it didn't work for me.

It's halloween all over again, but not set in halloween.

There are a lot of boobs. At least four girls showing them.

Oktoborror Fest 07 - Hell House LLC (2023) - Movie

This movie has nothing to do with Hell House by Matheson. This is a pseudo-documentary regarding a crew which is turning a haunted hotel in an halloween attraction. This is all recorded with a camcorder and in the beginning we start learning more the interactions between the five people. As they construct the scenario weird stuff starts to happen making the camera man a bit crazy - after all he is the one that he is receiving the vast majority of the problems. Meanwhile the documentary are running we've got future recordings of town people, survivors and another camera crew documenting what went wrong with the documentary.

As the story progress I start enjoying and some of the jump scares are really scary - if you watch them at night. There are some caveats due to the shaking of the camera and nothing really is explain which may be the intent.

Overall, really interesting and what we get from this is that everything could have been averted if they had left when things start to go wrong. The second camera crew is just dumb.

Most of the actors were not that known so it as interesting to see them act. They did a good job. 

I enjoyed it.

💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀

Oktoborror Fest 06 - From Black (2023) - Movie

This movie a slow burn about a woman who was drunk - now in remission and wants to understand what happened to her son. It's what I would consider quiet horror more focus on character development than the story itself - maybe the reason for this movie was just that.

The way it's somethings filmed may be wonder on why.... per example at 50m part where two characters are arguing the camera is stop outside of the bedroom while they argue within. Don't know the reason.

The story goes from a more centered on the main character dealing with drugs and reason why her son disappear and a way to overcome this issue via incantations \ summoning. and of course everything went to shit afterwards.

There is nudity although our main protagonist at halfway book has some cleavage and cleaning with her knees. It's rather revealing although you can see her naked on other movie.

👿👿👿👿👿

Oktoborror Fest 05 - Blood Flower (2022) - Movie

This is a 2022 Malasya movie. It's very interesting one. IT deals with the supernatural Islamic faith. If this was a catholic movie this would be the equivalent of book with a exorcist.  I am not verse on Islamic but from what I've know by watching Indonesia and other south Asia movies it mixes old folk from a time before the Islamic faith and current Islam. The mix is quite good and really gives some odd Tenebrae (is this a word) and encompasses the humidity odd forests/jungles. All of it combined really provides some interesting Folk Horror. This is not the first and won't be the last to watch.

There is a family which is basically are somekind of exorcists and the mother is killed in front of her children. The boy starts seeing strange stuff and being confronted with the paranormal, although he does not want it. He just wants to be a child. 

After releasing a demon it starts killing people and then a bunch of fast pace chase and exorcisms happen.

Not everything is good, the pace is kind off, sometimes too fast , sometimes too slow. I was interesting in the tale but everything was happening so fast I was a bit lost. And the action of some of characters just don't make sense. It's a okay movie to see but don't expect much.

There is no nudity.

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Oktoborror Fest 04 - The Monkey (2026) - Movie

 

This movie was very enjoyable. We've got this monkey that every time it drums someone will be killed. Simple as that. We've got this two brothers who find the monkey in the cellar after their father "went" away and start playing with it. Of course their mother died. And then another person and another and so on... We jump into the future where they are now adults and estranged. One is trying to safeguard his son while the other is bent on revenge. 

If you enjoy gore and strange deaths akin Final Destination please watch this. If you think those are stupid , you won't enjoy this.

The characters were okay, nothing major although I enjoy the development  of the brothers. 

There is no nudity.

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Oktoborror Fest 03 - 10:37 by Jacqueline Druga (2017) Book

 This is the tenth book I've read from Druga and this is probably my least  favourite alongside with Torn. It still is a good tracking with only 2 books with 2 stars. 

This one follows a event, like most of her books, that kill the vast majority of population. Is it explained? No.  

People suffocate and died. But some did not. Some lived and thus we find out following 4 people (two groups of two).  I enjoyed their interactions mostly Morgan and Ross as they are quite different personalities and clash. 

After 99% of population died, it started to rain endlessly. After some deus-ex-machina stuff they hear some feedback that this is worldwide and they must escape to high ground. 

Then our survivors meet other people who basically just woke up and had no expression. Just being on the rain and so on. Like zombies but without the carnage. They are just there.... 

So our adventurers or survivors just go to a place told in a vision of one child OR following the communication. They meet other two survivors and that's it. The book is disjointed , nobody really talk about issues that arose.  Per example the priest they met had a bookcase on top of him, it takes around 30 pages so he finally says what happened. Nobody deemed worthy of asking. Ross & Morgan leave one another after one of them betrayed the other and smack on the head. Later one meet the remaining duo and after the  second one appear they are hostile against the other - noone ask, why are you like this with that other person? It's absurd. Then it just ended. This book could have been 400 pages and better. Some connections to stephen king the stand btw.

OH well, you can't win them all

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Oktoborror Fest 02- The Last House (2026) - Movie

 

I watched the movie and I enjoyed. IT's a funny little family movie that deals with something unexplained. The story is simple, it started to rain and people inside the house could not leave, the water was "blocking" / "controlling" it. No matter what they did nothing worked. This was the same throughout the neighbourhood and soon the family had to arrange things to do , food to have as this prolonged for days, weeks months and years. The family soon invents a way to cultivate stuff and the husband finds a way to catch animals through the roof.

Not everything is good. In terms of character, well they lack emotions and the wife was a bit of... drag. She was always complaining and the way she treated her husband was just abhorred. She expected him to do everything and the way she felt entitled it's absurd.

The kids were good on this.

There are some inconsistencies and plot holes like okay we understand there is strange monsters out there, first why wait 5 years? They could have killed them before without issue and then just drop the act after ONE boy has a good intention? The idea behind this is that this "aliens" are not really aliens but beings from the planet that just want it back - I get a hint of something here regarding colonizers...

And then the ending, okay they are free now, only this family or everyone? Who knows...

The movie has some strange situations that made it boring, predictable and preachy BUT I will say it was entertaining.

- I mean why trying to kick down a door that opens inwards?

 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 10

Oktoborror Fest 01- Humanoids from the Deep (1980) - Movie

 

Interesting movie from 1980. It's one of those monster horror that the 70's and 80's really shine. It was release in 1980 and it has some interesting costumes. 

We've got this small town that is in a turmoil due to some american indians wanting to shut down a fish factory as they believe it's destroying nature while the vast majority of inhabitants do not as it's the best source of income. We are introduce to several characters who are pro and against and stuff really is boiling over with people killing dogs of the other faction.

Meanwhile there is a monster, the one in the photo which is killing dogs and men and raping woman - not graphic.

This remind me of one of the cthulhu mythos stories where the deep ones from insmouth are attacking.

I enjoyed it. It will never win any awards but for people who enjoy lovecraftian tales this is a very good addition.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080904/

Nudity - Indeed there is. Some boobs of several characters. No sex situation. Just some breasts by Lisa Glaser, Linda Shayne , Lynn Theel

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Book Review: The X-Files: Skin (The X-Files #6) Ben Mezrich

A new X-Files book read. It's the fourth now. Only Antibodies & Whirlwind to read.

I want to re-watch the series again. I've watch a couple of episodes here and there over the years and some hold up others do not. But I will prevail!

This one starts interestingly with a person receiving a skin transplant and becoming a berserk like creature. Mulder and Scully heard of it and they travel New York to investigate.

This leads to a bunch to the skin, medics the company which created and to Thailand. It was very interesting cat and mouse chase. It was ok book but nothing major. Some stuff was never answered and there were some plotholes that made me wonder why happened what happened in New York because it has no semblance with the chase to thailand. Overall, it's another good addition.

Mulder & Scully did sound more like "them" than to author vision of them like other books I've read.

Book Review: The Titan Probe (Eismond #2) Brandon Q. Morris

This book follows the first one. It's almost impossible to talk about this book without spoilers. So I am going to provide minor spoilers - nothing major as you discover in a couple of pages (and even on the back cover).

This book follows the previous one, the morale is low after Marchenko being stranded on Enceladus after saving Martin & Francesca. OF course they think he is dead so this book follows two main plots. One with our astronauts as they travel to Titan after a strange transmission is captured on earth. The second part we follow Marchenko that it seems he didn't die and now it's trying to do everything to inform Earth & ILSE that he is dead yet. At the same time he is trying to meet up with the strange beings we discovered in the first novel.

This is a good book, nothing major. Sometimes it's dry reading and while the first focus a lot on the perspective of Martin, this one is more on Francesca. My issue is the not the story. It's the characters and the dry way the book was written. It does not mean I am not eagerly waiting to read the third novel. 73/100

Book Review: Sea Sick (Ravaged World #1) by Iain Rob Wright

I will give this book 5 stars. IT served the purpose it was supposed to do. 

This is the 5 book within the damnienverse which include Sam, Asbo, Final Winter, Housemates (already read), then we've got Ravaged World series which this one is the first and finally there is another series called Hell on Earth.

In this book we follow Jack Wardsley which is a police officer but due to some past offences in the force had to take a break. So on he goes in a cruised called The Spirit of Kirkpatrick (which was something hinted on The Housemates). Apart from that mention, there is also the mention of Black Remedy company - think Umbrella Corporation. You can enter this novel without anything else read.

Right from the start we are introduced to a couple of characters like Jack, Claire a young woman  who has a brute of a boyfriend, holly a young girl and her parents (who it hinted to be connected to another novel or my name isn't Paulo) Tally the romani waitress & Joma (another waiter) then all hell breaks lose and we have zombies all around us.

In the second day he kindy feel deja vu, but on the third day , he understand something is happening. It's groundhog day on a ship with zombies. So with each day you follow Rob trying to find out what is happening but soon after several dozens times you see him change and even killing himself just to wake up at 14h as alwalys. After a while he understands that there is one of the persons he met that is like him and remember the day and so they talk and he is told that there is a being resetting time again and again. IT seems it's something that must be done so something can be change. After several dozen days or probably hundred he meets Donovan which is a security guard guarding some money and medicine in the last deck.

After he meets all of these people he understand that something must be done and the story goes berserk with the pace - although all the book reads quite fast. I read this book under 3h. I started on the 29th of august for a hour and finish on the 30 within 1h30. 

I enjoyed and I want to read the second novel on the trilogy. Probably going to buy the remaining books. 92/100

Book Review: The Dog Stars by Peter Heller (post apocalyptic)

I read this book in under four hours. I woke up at 6h30 started reading , then pause a bit around 8h00 to 9h00 and continue until 11h00.

366 pages in under 4h. That's amazing I would say. IT helps that the way it's written is very accessible and fast paced it does not help the way it was written \ chosen. Allow me to explain, this was written like a memoir of some sort where our main protagonist Hig is trying to survive an apocalpyse that killed 99% of the world population. It was a flu kind of disease and then some blood issue. Flu thing you would think - influenced by covid? Well, no as this book was written in 2011. IT was probably influenced of the Avian influenza that has been around for a number of years in our collected mind.

So, as I was saying, you've got this man (Hig) that is trying to live his live in this post apocalyptic scenario where humanity has perish. He is accompanied by a dog and another man called Bangley which is a survivalist (guess he stroke gold).

The first half of the book, the book is divided in several "books", is more about some backstory and is day to day life while flying the plane around his "base". We also meet the "families" which are a bunch of Mennonites (you have to search what it means, not going to tell you, this is what I most enjoy on books, the discover of new things). The second part of story comes after one pivotal incident - that may shocked people - and he starts investigating what exist behind is place. In there he finds a woman called Cima (35+/-) and her pop.

Not going to delve much more on the plot but suffice to say - and this my opinion on the book - it's... MEH!. I have seen it done better and worse, and this falls on the worse, just because on how it's written. You've got a phrase of 10 lines, you've got lines than end with "and." and other non-written rules. I mean I kind of understand as this how would it felt to be a talking memoir BUT it's written and so it felt weird and please don't get me started on the dialogue - what a bunch of... feces. It's bad, it's weird, it's confusion. Was the author trying to emulate José Saramago? He wrote a book , well worst than that as that one don't have any punctuation. This had but not to my enjoyment.

So having said that, I cannot remove the idea I read 366 pages in 4H but I cannot give more than 50/100. Again meh.

PS: Buy Coca-Cola. Wonder if he made a deal to say Coca-Cola a bunch of times.

PS2: Lividian Publication edition with the artwork of Vaillancourt is very good. It enhanced my enjoyment or else I would have given 40. I will sell it as it's not one of the most beautiful they made and it's not to my liking.

Book Review: She Courts Darkness (Bartram's Maw #2) - Morgan Stang

This is the second book on the series, or third if you consider the prequel but for the sake of coherence , this is the second book of the trilogy. 

The book follows several months after the first one and it follows Victoria & Samantha and while Samantha was the main protagonist of the first novel, here Victoria takes the great stage and  to me it felt better and read better than Samantha. Samantha was kind of straightforward do-gooder while Victoria is conflicted and right until the end you don't know what she is going to do.

So Punkin vanished and Victoria, Samantha & Kirby are tasked to finding her. They go to a strange city that basically  it's PAris or London with all the mix races and creeds - which is kind of odd. The author tries to hint that this works but you get the feeling that it does not. But among this vast city there is a cult which Punkin belong and they think she was captured by them. Victoria tries investigating one way while Sam & Kirby another. 

You can expect violence and sex. We kind understand Morgan Stang leans but it does not affect my reading enjoyment after all all the main characters are women and lesbian (kind of)  BUT again, it did not deter me of enjoying the book and you know me, so I can advise it if you enjoy grimdark stuff. So far everything she wrote was either 4 or 5 stars.  93/100

Book Review: Midnight Mass by F. Paul Wilson

This book took me over a month to read. To be fair I was on vacations for fifteen days and so I had a break and started a couple of other books, then return this after a month and finish it. IT's quite easy read.

In this tale we follow in the beginning three characters, a priest a rabi and fallen nurse. Each chapter is divided in several parts each with one of those characters or other less important characters.

The story begins with Europe, Asia and Africa fallen to vampires and now conquering several parts of the US. One of the most interesting things on the first half is the talks and discussions between the priest and the Rabi. So different but friends. It was very interesting to see a Rabi questioning his faith because it seems the cross deters the vampires while is Judaic faith does not. Using a cross means that his faith has been wrong all along and Catholicism correct which means that Christ was the Saviour. 

There are some other theological debates which enrich the tale either by the priest, rabi and even the nurse. One of the most interesting things, and please learn you woke authors, this is how you do a Lesbian character. Yes she is lesbian, yes there is debates and conversations but she is also a great character whom happens to be lesbian and not the other way around.

I believe the last confrontation was not well done as it seems the author just wanted to get the book done.  And some things are kind of odd. The book action scenes were not to my liking. IT felt rushed.

You get a ending , or if the author needed he could have written a sequel - which he didn't. There is also an interesting introduction by the author. 80/100

Book Review: Black Mouth by Ronald Malfi (Horror)

I started this book last month, stop for weeks and then finish the last two hundred spaces this week.

First of all, this is a slow pacing book. Don't expect the thriller part to be fast.

in this story we follow Jamie a recovering alcoholic which is returning home after his mother died. With a disabled (mentality) sibling he must return home to help him out. We are then introduced to two other characters (Carl & Mia) and we start to have glimpses of life back when they were teens and why they are what they are.

When they were child, they met a magician which brings a cat to lifee. They become so ensorcelled by it they became his appendices. You , as an adult kind of know something is off but the children being children, they capture everything the magician shares or tells. Until one fateful day where he asks something of Jamie and Jamie does not comply and a fire brakes out.

This tale is a tale of uncovering this magician which is still ongoing (with a new crime just a month prior) and at the same time a self-discovery journey.

There are several themes here and we kind understand the dramas, damage adults vs what the children had to go through. The abusive alcoholic father, Mia the tomboy girl that uses the trauma and experiences into film and Clay that becomes a social worker to help other children from what he had to go through.

The Magician is an evil character. He is a predator (not sexual) that make children do things preying on their vulnerabilities and fears - interesting or not, the only one he did help was Clay by giving him confidence with his condition - (he had a skin disease that while he was black he had white patches all over his body).

Then we've got Dennis which has special needs, not all good on the brain as they say, but he kind of the heart of the group and by the end he also changes - he doesn't become "normal" but we see changes in all of them.

The way Malfi writes kids is quite good and it draws you in. IT feels nostalgic although you were not really there, it's a kind of magic....

If you know Stephen King's IT, this book draws a lot comparisons. Grown ups going back to their old town to face their teenage demon while mysteries unfold. IT's the same premise. The difference is that Malfi does not lose himself like Stephen King does. Although I understand the value Stephen King had in horror, like Lovecraft, my main issue with him is the length of the books. What he can write in 400 pages he turn to 800. If you edit "It" you would see that you only needed 400/450 pages to tell the story.

Now, why the 1 stars on goodreads - well after reading I kind of understand them, mostly is that they are either waiting to be a pure horror spooky fest and it isn't it. It's a slow burn slice of life with a sprinkle of horror. Also the comparisons of IT are all over the place. Some people consider IT the best King book or one of the best horror books every written - well though luck. In my mind you should enter this with open mind and this is more a Slice of Life Mystery book. BUT BUT, saying this is DULL and enjoying IT is a bit of contradiction in my mind opinion. 92/100

Book Review: Sisters of Mercy by Yuval Kordov (Novella linked to Dark Legacies) - Horror & Sci-Fi

I read this novella in one day and this was my first foray into Yuval Kordov work. I've bought all of his books after reading a interview and what he believes.

This is a novella as I've said that is set on the same universe as the the trilogy "Dark Legacies" he wrote a couple of years ago. In the end he explains the reason behind the interest on writing it.

First of all, let me take two cats out of the back. This feels 40K universe - a bit less dark with the mix between human-machines symbiose & the all machine spirit feel. The praying itself remind of Catholicism mantras.

We are thrown into the action right from the bat and not much explanation is provided - probably dark legacies should be read BEFORE this , although I didn't felt lost or that some spoilers existed.

So the world is at war with some demons and some young girls are bonded with robots called god-engines (the parallelism with 40K). They go in pairs to patrol and kill those demons.

The prayers and lithurigies are very good and they give an interesting vibe to this world. It's does not feel like the author is hinting of something or educating you on religion. It's part of this characters but is well so done.

The conversations between the two characters are scarce but give them both personalities within a 80 page book. The most developed part of the novel is the world itself. It's bleak, you've got people trying to survice (that unfortunately don't get much screen time), you've got Rachel-3 which has been alive for 300+ days and can have still have faith yet piety on the people in the wasteland which turns Hannah off.

I would say that probably the 3 and 9 are version and that may hint something, because they "reincarnate" in some sort so maybe being hopeful (that's the feeling I got from Rachel) vs Hannah which has a more pessimistic view on the world - although they love one another and do anything for the other.

I enjoyed it and gives me hope to read his books in the next few months. I am really enjoying incense punk. So far , so good. 87/100

Book Review: The Housemates (Damienverse, #4) - Iain Rob Wright (Horror)

I read this book in one day, I've read 270 pages in one day! That means anything right?

In this story we follow 12 characters as they are sent to a remote location to win one or two million pounds. We are introduce to our main character which is Damien and in the first 30 or 40 pages he introduce us to other characters like Jules, Alex, Jade, Richard or Danni. After the first game, pretty innocuous two characters are sent to a elimination chamber and things start going wrong as one of the character dies.

After this it's a full pace horror \ thriller novel where everyone wants to survive. The interesting part? Each one is not a good person. One is Murderer, Whore, Traitor, Crusader, Peddler, Trickster among others so alliances are quite thin and change.

In my opinion some of the revenge stories were pretty much deserved and you kind of root for them to be killed others were a bit meh. But that's revenge I would say.

There were some characters that were really cardboard - like the racist or the womanizer. That was their trait. I pretty much smiled when I thought that the kid who was drug addict say people change and all of that but a racist changing? Well, no.

Another thing I noticed is that the only black person crime was pretty mundane and probably the one least deservable of death. I wonder if the author was afraid of making a black person racist or child molester. Maybe I am overthinking this but - maybe I am not. Either way it didn't made not enjoy the book. Just a parenthesis.

Overall it was lovely horrible book - I saw one youtuber that said this was one of the most horrible books- it was not. but it's probably one of the best horror thrillers I've read. But I've read far better on horror front and thriller front.

OVerall, I will read more. I jsut got Witch which is another series BUT the author confirmed and we kind of know there are other books that follow (other series, because this is book 4 but the ending says one thing that made me think there are more books.. Since I don't want people to get spoilers - this was his info (view spoiler)

93/100

Book Review: The Gone World Tom Sweterlitsch (Horror)

This book is weird and good. The problem is that in some parts it drag on. Allow me to explain, This is a sci-fi novel disguised as a mystery thriller. On this tale we follow Shannon Moss which is part of secret NCIS service and she is investigating the killing of a fellow colleague plus his missing daughter. Since there were no clues, she uses her ship to time jump to the future and try to uncover her trail. Yes, they can time travel on this future.

We get around 100 pages of this investigation with some hints about this time travel stuff. Later on we learn that humanity (well part of it since it's hidden) discovered deep space & deep time. One allows to travel far beyond our planet, while the second allows to go to the future, this future is not something that will definitely happen. Probably some stuff will, others will not. So that bitcoin trick or betting on a football game may end up having weird repercussions. The "correct" timeframe is what they call Terra Firma whilst everything else, they think will disappear as soon as someone from terra firma leaves that timeframe.

"Only the Present is real, only the Present is terra firma. We were warned that no time passes in terra firma while we lived lives in IFTs––and yet IFTs weren’t real, not “objectively” so. We were told that we affected IFTs even as we observed them––that they would bend around our psyches in subtle ways, but as surely as intense gravity bends light. The effect was called lensing, the sensation bizarre, our instructor saying that IFTs could feel like dreams within dreams."

So what makes this book weird fiction or horror, well horror there is none. Weird is because one of the ships that went to a distant place\time found life and a strange thing and that thing is getting near Terra Firma. First in 2666, then 2300, then 2100 and so on.

So you've got two points that intercede, the killing and disappearance of the girl and this thing is all connected. And what is this thing, well nobody knows but as the ships encounter they see humanity killed in a weirdly manner like suicide, crucification or even more weird stuff.

"There is no design. The universe isn’t kind or cruel. The universe is vast and indifferent to our desires. "

The book is not bad per se, but it didn't wow me as I expected from all the reviews and the reddit group #weirdlit.

The ending in case you didn't understood or want my opinion is this everything we read was a "memory" and not the real time frame. Basically the real Terra Firma was the one of the Libra Spaceship discovering that entity. So basically their belief that Terra Firma was the real earth and when the person who travel forward in time return- everything disappear was just wrong. I believe we every visit put us in one of a billion different possibilities of future earths. There is a earth that I wrote this review and a earth were a I didn't. There is a earth I enjoyed more the book and another less and so on...

Neverthless I enjoyed and I will probably read more of the author 82/100

Book Review: The Sound of Midnight (Oxrun Station #2) - Charles L Grant (Horror)

 

I just finished the second book on the oxrun station and interestingly I thought about getting into the third book, even if can consider I enjoyed this book but it's not perfect or very good - allow me to explain.

This book follows two main characters Dale a female owner of a toy store ( I am saying she is a female because to me Dale it's a men's name) and Vic who is a professor.

Charles L Grant writes slow pace horror. Nowadays there is a name for it, quiet horror. I've read the book in two days so I Can't consider it slow although nothing really happens for pages at end.

First is just a child being killed, Dale is in the mist of it as she tried to save the boy from drowning - without success. Then there is a car explosion of the father of the child. Dale feels something is off but she can't understand what. After selling a chess piece made by the person who died on an explosion she starts to connects the dot.

One thing I will say is that Vic, although the man he is there to help Dale on her quest, never really overshadowing her or take her protagonist. She needs to man. This is how you write a good female character without being a girl boss. She has problems and can't handle everything but she is still fighting.

The love interest of them both is so cute and it reeks of 1970's so expect conservatism behaviour and not hippies. By the end it changed and we see them getting in love which was as I've said - cute.

My first complain is the pace of the novel and some parts were a bit confusing. I mean that at times they start talking about things and I thought , what a heck? When did that happen. The first time it happen was with the explosion and then the fire and the arrows. I thought what? I had to reread.

The ending is also a bit anti-climatic as it was over so soon. You may enjoy it, btw. Me I hoped for more.

If you enjoy quite horror, folk horror with celtic background I believe you enjoy it. Don't worry is not the first oxrun station because it's not connected - although there are some cameos from characters of the first book at least - BUT believe if you didn't knew you wouldn't lose anything. 77/100 or 3.5/100

Book Review: The God of the Razor - Joe R Landsdale (Horror)

 

The Nightrunners within this novel is probably one of the best horror novels I've seen. I've made a couple of reviews on youtube and I will say I Really enjoyed it. We follow a woman who has been abuse and her husband as they try to overcome the issue one year prior. Landsdale touches some topcis here like sexual intimacy after the act and husband\wife support.

In other hand we follow a young boy part of the gang who abused her (he was not directly involved) and then we have a flashback about the fall of this boy and this deals with other interesting topics like child crimes, where does it come from and how can children be used (or use themselves) as minors to escape crime sentences. I know that this is not the main focus but it's there for you to think about it.

The novels it's gory when it needs to be, slice of life (kinda) when it needs to be. There is no description of violence just for the sake of it. There is animal cruelty , but with a book with r*pe, death, mutilation - this is where people draw the line? OK.

Throughout the book you get the feeling is this supernatural or mind psychology only - it's very cool. The short stories probably hint to the supernatural.

There are some interesting good illustrations by Glenn Chadbourne that really enhance the tale.

There are also some short stories, some connected to that world, some not - at least one and half. I really enjoy the Not from Detroit short story.

Overall it's a very good book with 93/100 for the novel itself and 73/100 for the remaining short stories. 90/100 is my final rating.

Book Review: Steel on Target (The Buzzer War #1) - Kevin Ikenberry - Military Sci-Fi

I enjoyed so much of this book that I want to read the next two at least to fully commit.

This story is not easy in the beginning. There is a lot militarist jargon thrown and sometimes you get the feeling you are not understanding. As I've read the last 200 pages in a couple of days, the terminology became easier and that's why I Want to read the next two in the next few months so I don't lose myself.

In this book humanity has expanded throughout space and colonized other worlds. One of these worlds is invaded by an alien beings - sure look like Tyranids in some way or Zerg. Unfortunately that's something I was not very glad which was the lack of information we had on them. Maybe that's conscious but I didn't enjoy as I love to hear more about the factions and where we are. Aliens invaded and humanity throw some of our infantry against it - and they were massacred. Our main protagonist (Sandhurst) is saved by a tank regiment and taken back. Of course top dogs in the military want a spacescapegoat and so the solution is going into armour. He returns Earth where he quickly (a bit too quickly as we never really know if it took one day or three months) learn the art of tanks.

At the same time our other main protagonist Llewelyn is switching up as well. She is pilot and she understand that the air force needs to help more the infantry with CAS and having a good connection (via direct line) with them.

Everything I am saying here takes hundreds of page due to the politics in-between the armed forces and battle scenes.

I am not going to delve much more or else I would enter the spoiler territory but I enjoy they fighting back and how the new combination worked - to be fair reminds me of Hearts of Iron IV where everyone says CAS is king. And here in this world is the same thing. Without CAS the infantry suffers a lot.

Looking forward for the second one.