Stitched Up! An anthology of Stitched up Flesh Review

Edited by S.E.Cox and Nandy Ekle
House of Horror
ISBN:978-4461-7792-1
Review Posted: 9/23/2010

When one thinks of stitches we often think of either medical or quilting. Let's put some horror, some bizarre tales and you have Stitched Up! An anthology of Stitched up Flesh.

The anthology starts out with a strange little tale by Nate Burleigh called Quilty as Charged. A man talking to a sheriff because of weird things that had happened to him, causing limbs to be taken away, basically destroyed. Now what happens next is not only gross in its sense, but surprisingly good.

This particular story is just the beginning. The anthology takes you through a journey of the undead and even a poem at the end by Brain Rosenberger called The Bride wore Black that takes the reader into a very creepy state of mind making you want to look behind you.

What is the best part of this anthology is you are never bored with any one story. Yes, some are better than others, but you never have a dull moment. You even get some art in the beginning from some artists, Nick Rose for example, among others to give your eyes even more of a delight.

This anthology is a refreshing theme of horror anthologies out there. Worth picking up and reading over and over again.

Lies at the End of the World by Phil Woters Review

by Phil Wolters
Pill Hill Press
ISBN:978-1617060366
Review Posted: 9/12/2010

John Frank and his family prepared for everything:Y2k, solar paneling and supplies to last a long time. His father and mother now both dead, John had to fend for himself and that's when it came:the zombie attacks. He had a high fence, tons of supplies and then Rachel, a survivor he found while she drove her truck fast by.

The fall in love being stuck together in his house. They talked, they enjoyed each others company. Afterwords they begin they journey together, meeting others on the way.

Wolters did a fantastic job of describing the human soul during a time of crisis. He explains so well the very nature of the situations the characters go through in such brilliant and eloquent wording. It is a book that can be enjoyed any time. One that if you don't grab a copy now you will be sorry you missed out on such an amazing, different type of zombie story.

Comes the Dark by Patrick D' Orazio Review

by Patrick D' Orazio
Library of the Living Dead Press
ISBN:978-1453701287
Review Posted: 9/12/2010

It all happened in one day. Jeff Blaine witnesses his wife being attacked and chewed on by his next door neighbor. The horror makes him freeze for a moment forgetting what is currently going on, an infestation of zombies who are attacking everything and anything. His guilt overcomes him as he sees his wife's anniversary ring shine ever so slightly as she bleeds out. Jeff leaves his house killing along the way any undead he can find. At last he comes across another survivor, her name is Megan. Megan and Jeff start on an adventure of basic survival not only physical, but of their souls.

Comes the Dark is non-stop action. It feels as if you are watching a movie that you can't get up to go to the bathroom because you might miss something. D'Orazio, portrays the undead in the best light, hungry, vicious creatures with a destructive appetite.

When reading this story, one feels themselves rooting for Jeff and the survivors he comes in contact with, with out any doubt you feel their pain, their anger and their will to live.

The only part that was slow was the actual plot. It started out with action, action kept going, but for a sense of a real plot you needed to read a bit further into the story. However, readers will still be able to get a sense of the characters, even relate to them in feeling they may do the same if suck an attack were present.

Comes the Dark was an enjoyable read with much zombie action for any zombie fan.

Dog Tags by David Rosenfelt Review

by David Rosenfelt
Grand Central Publishing
ISBN:978-0446551526
Review Posted: 9/08/2010

Andy Carpenter is back in Rosenfelt's new book, Dog Tags. In the lastest installment of this lawyer series, Carpenter is asked to defend a specific kind of client, a dog named Milo. Milo is a German Shepard who has special abilities that was trained by an ex-cop turned thief Billy Zimmerman who is concerned that either someone will take Milo because he is so trained or Milo will be put down. Both Zimmerman and Milo are so called 'arrested' for a murder/theft that occurred one night. It is now up to Andy Carpenter to track the circumstances, defend his client and hope for the best.

What makes the Andy Carpenter series so different from any other lawyer series is the compassion that the main character has for dogs. With his dog Tara who is mentioned a lot, Rosenfelt gives a more personal touch to his stories and this one is no different.

A good law story, courtroom type action has always held my interest. My love for animals caught my attention to Dog Tags. Anyone who has ever not wanted to see an animal lose, needs to read this book. Not only does it hold mystery, the law and a sense of one's passion for a dog, it holds your heart, your mind and very well a forever spot on your bookshelf.

The Immortal Memoirs by Belladonna Drakul Review

by BellaDonna Drakul
Publish America
ISBN:978-1-4512-3153-3
Review done by Rob Walter
Review Posted: 8/20/2010

BellaDonna Drakul is back with a new collection of her decidedly non-mainstream vampire/ horror called The Immortal Memoirs. The collection is published by Publish America and is made up of 8 in this collection ranging from stone statues made by vampires in The Petrified Sister to an unlikely pair of werewolves in a future world fighting vampires in Blood Moon of the Damned.

In The Petrified Sister, a vampire and his minions have taken control of a Catholic school over hundreds of years. The difference is that the vampire has an additional curse called oestrus-roue petrification where the victims will turn to stone just before their death and if the vampire drinks to the last drop of blood is drained from them then he too may change into stone. I won’t give any more of the story away, but it is a unique premise and makes for an interesting twist.

Succubus Dream is a cautionary tale warning us to be careful what we wish for as we may get it. A widower in his grief wishes for love and a succubus comes to him and the resulting story is definitely a different read.

Blood Moon of the Damned is a tale of the apocalypse with some hints of sci-fi where vampires and werewolves fight over the Earth. The difference is in how they came to be, how the war transpires and eventually ends.

While there is some repetitious use of cackling in the stories and occasionally the dialogue/ language seems strained and/ or unlikely, it isn’t enough to disturb enjoying the story.

Overall the stories are different from anything else I have read with some interesting twists and turns that make them worth the time.

The Immortal Memoirs

Annie and the Ripper by Tim Champlin Review

by Tim Champlin
Pill Hill Press
ISBN:978-1617060373
Review Posted: 8/15/2010

Inspector Frederick George Abberline is thrown into a series of ghastly murders in Whitechapel known as the 'Ripper murders.' The investigation goes dark, sometimes besides himself, Abberline notices an advertisement for an American type entertainment 'Wild West' type show. He at first is a bit disturbed at their antics to take money from the people for their strange shows.Later he comes in contact with a sharp-shooter who is part of this show named Annie Oakley. He enlists her help in the pursuit of this 'Ripper Killer.'

Tim Champlin produces a fine book about the 'Ripper' Killings that any Ripperologist would be interested in reading. His research was well thought out, his play on the actual murders and the inspector that has a few twists and turns is just frankly amazing.

What brings this story to be so different from the others is the introduction of Annie Oakley. In bringing the 'wild west' to the 'ripper murders' in that time period adds flare to Jack the Ripper history and lore. Readers will be pleased to see this new take on what could possibly be one of the best Ripper stories told.

Requiem for the Ripper by Brian L. Porter Review

by Brian L. Porter
Double Dragon Publishing
ISBN:978-1-55404-758-1
Review Posted: 8/4/2010

Requiem for the Ripper is the final installment of a trilogy by Brian L. Porter that also includes: Legacy of the Ripper and A Study in Red.

What is nice about this book is that there are brief excerpts of the two previous books. So in other words even if you did not read those two, and frankly you should anyways, you will be somewhat caught up in time for this third treasure of the trilogy.

The story begins with a Doctor Hemswell who lives in an area called Skerries Rock. One day he gets a strange phone call asking him to discuss something of complete urgency from a William Forbes who was a solicitor of some very strange, but important documents from a certain Jack Reid. Their conversation continues until Hemswell reluctantly agrees to have Forbes come and see him.

What results is a span into Jack Reid's mind, the ripper notes from before and a friend who tries to help both Hemswell and Forbes. Forbes being scared for his life on a constant basis and Hemswell not sure what is going on.

What is fascinating about this last installment, is that Brian L. Porter shows the reader how one can construe things in their mind, how even the slightest doubt of something can make a person almost crazy with fear. No other writer can take you deep into the inner workings of fear as Porter does here.

Requiem for the Ripper is not a disappointment. Grab a copy now, and don't forget to read the other two first. You never know what might be lurking in the shadows.