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With Teeth
For a group of middle-aged friends, the trip into the forest was supposed to be simple. All they had to do was find a place to set up their criminal enterprise, and all of their financial problems would be solved. But now, night is falling, and with the darkness comes something else. Something fast. Something ferocious. Something... with teeth. From best-selling, award-winning horror writer Brian Keene comes a vicious new novella WITH TEETH.
142 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 17, 2021
71 people are currently reading
1925 people want to read
About the author
Brian Keene
384 books2,991 followersBRIAN KEENE writes novels, comic books, short fiction, and occasional journalism for money. He is the author of over forty books, mostly in the horror, crime, and dark fantasy genres. His 2003 novel, The Rising, is often credited (along with Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead comic and Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later film) with inspiring pop culture’s current interest in zombies. Keene’s novels have been translated into German, Spanish, Polish, Italian, French, Taiwanese, and many more. In addition to his own original work, Keene has written for media properties such as Doctor Who, Hellboy, Masters of the Universe, and Superman.
Several of Keene’s novels have been developed for film, including Ghoul, The Ties That Bind, and Fast Zombies Suck. Several more are in-development or under option. Keene also serves as Executive Producer for the independent film studio Drunken Tentacle Productions.
Keene also oversees Maelstrom, his own small press publishing imprint specializing in collectible limited editions, via Thunderstorm Books.
Keene’s work has been praised in such diverse places as The New York Times, The History Channel, The Howard Stern Show, CNN.com, Publisher’s Weekly, Media Bistro, Fangoria Magazine, and Rue Morgue Magazine. He has won numerous awards and honors, including the World Horror 2014 Grand Master Award, two Bram Stoker Awards, and a recognition from Whiteman A.F.B. (home of the B-2 Stealth Bomber) for his outreach to U.S. troops serving both overseas and abroad. A prolific public speaker, Keene has delivered talks at conventions, college campuses, theaters, and inside Central Intelligence Agency headquarters in Langley, VA.
The father of two sons, Keene lives in rural Pennsylvania.
Several of Keene’s novels have been developed for film, including Ghoul, The Ties That Bind, and Fast Zombies Suck. Several more are in-development or under option. Keene also serves as Executive Producer for the independent film studio Drunken Tentacle Productions.
Keene also oversees Maelstrom, his own small press publishing imprint specializing in collectible limited editions, via Thunderstorm Books.
Keene’s work has been praised in such diverse places as The New York Times, The History Channel, The Howard Stern Show, CNN.com, Publisher’s Weekly, Media Bistro, Fangoria Magazine, and Rue Morgue Magazine. He has won numerous awards and honors, including the World Horror 2014 Grand Master Award, two Bram Stoker Awards, and a recognition from Whiteman A.F.B. (home of the B-2 Stealth Bomber) for his outreach to U.S. troops serving both overseas and abroad. A prolific public speaker, Keene has delivered talks at conventions, college campuses, theaters, and inside Central Intelligence Agency headquarters in Langley, VA.
The father of two sons, Keene lives in rural Pennsylvania.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
June 25, 2021
Brian Keene has been one of those horror author's I've been meaning to read for years. I've been hearing about him since the mid-2000s, and though I've seen his books repeatedly, for some reason I never picked him up. Recently Death's Head Press (who has quickly grown to be my favorite smaller horror press) released his newest book on vampires… well, time to give him a shot.
I knew this book and I were going to get along fine from the first page:
Here are the things you need to know about vampires.
First of all, they don't dress in black. They're not high-cultured, well-mannered, nicely groomed or perfectly fucking coiffed. Vampires don't form secret societies and war with other creatures of the night. They don't hang out in cemeteries and tombs, listening to Bauhaus and Type O Negative and smoking clove cigarettes and whining about how much eternal life sucks. Vampires don't have existential crises, because vampires barely gave any thoughts beyond what's for dinner. They don't feel love or angst. They're not romantic. Vampires are not sexy. They don't look like Bela Lugosi or Christopher Lee or Stephen Moyer. They don't behave like Dracula or Lestat or Edward Cullen.
Vampires do not fucking sparkle. "
In this book they are predators. They are creatures described as looking like something from Nosferatu, but working in tactics closer to 30 Days of Night. Here… vampires, as he says, do not sparkle.
The book itself is great. Vampires that are truly disturbing is always a plus, but Keene tells a pretty good tale of friendship and family in the process of presenting us with horrific vampires… so major plus. The writing is fast paced, entertaining, and occasionally chuckle worthy. My only complaint is that not only is the book short, it's smaller than it appears as the main story isn't even 100 pages. To get the count up, two vampire themed short stories are also included. The two tales, "The Last Supper" and "Down Under" are both solid. The first of those is the better written and more interesting of the two (though I feel like I've seen the plot done before elsewhere) but the second is a more fun story.
Overall I'd recommend the book to anyone who wants a more animalistic vampire tale. The main story is wonderful and I really wish it would have been longer. The other two stories are certainly worth a look. Overall 4/5 stars.
I knew this book and I were going to get along fine from the first page:
Here are the things you need to know about vampires.
First of all, they don't dress in black. They're not high-cultured, well-mannered, nicely groomed or perfectly fucking coiffed. Vampires don't form secret societies and war with other creatures of the night. They don't hang out in cemeteries and tombs, listening to Bauhaus and Type O Negative and smoking clove cigarettes and whining about how much eternal life sucks. Vampires don't have existential crises, because vampires barely gave any thoughts beyond what's for dinner. They don't feel love or angst. They're not romantic. Vampires are not sexy. They don't look like Bela Lugosi or Christopher Lee or Stephen Moyer. They don't behave like Dracula or Lestat or Edward Cullen.
Vampires do not fucking sparkle. "
In this book they are predators. They are creatures described as looking like something from Nosferatu, but working in tactics closer to 30 Days of Night. Here… vampires, as he says, do not sparkle.
The book itself is great. Vampires that are truly disturbing is always a plus, but Keene tells a pretty good tale of friendship and family in the process of presenting us with horrific vampires… so major plus. The writing is fast paced, entertaining, and occasionally chuckle worthy. My only complaint is that not only is the book short, it's smaller than it appears as the main story isn't even 100 pages. To get the count up, two vampire themed short stories are also included. The two tales, "The Last Supper" and "Down Under" are both solid. The first of those is the better written and more interesting of the two (though I feel like I've seen the plot done before elsewhere) but the second is a more fun story.
Overall I'd recommend the book to anyone who wants a more animalistic vampire tale. The main story is wonderful and I really wish it would have been longer. The other two stories are certainly worth a look. Overall 4/5 stars.
March 3, 2025
What's for Dinner?...
WITH TEETH
by Brian Keene
No spoilers. 4 stars. Frank, who narrates this story, begins by telling us some important facts about vampires...
They don't dress in black, they are not cultured and well-mannered, and their hair isn't well-groomed...
The list goes on, but the thing you'll want to remember is that their only concern is...
What's for dinner?...
Forget what you think you know because vampires aren't any of those things, especially when they're hungry...
They're scrawny, but fast...
Frank, a couple of his cousins and a few friends were hanging out at Terry's place, discussing their money woes when...
Someone came up with the bright idea to start a meth lab in Terry's granddaddy's abandoned hollow in the woods...
Why was the hollow abandoned to be swallowed by weeds all these years?...
No one knew...
But Granddad sure planted a lot of wild garlic around the parameter of the hollow...
This is the story of a group of redneck, tobacco chawing friends in West Virginia that thought they had come up with a plan to alleviate their money problems...
And become rich...
But when they crossed into the hollow and came upon 3 skeletons, their luck changed...
For the worse...
This author has really evolved since his early 80s stories. This story was excellent, though I removed 1 star for the ending.
This novella is creepy and just the right size for a one night stand on Halloween.
I'd had my fill of vampires, werewolves, and zombie stories, but this story was very engaging and well-written.
WITH TEETH
by Brian Keene
No spoilers. 4 stars. Frank, who narrates this story, begins by telling us some important facts about vampires...
They don't dress in black, they are not cultured and well-mannered, and their hair isn't well-groomed...
The list goes on, but the thing you'll want to remember is that their only concern is...
What's for dinner?...
Forget what you think you know because vampires aren't any of those things, especially when they're hungry...
They're scrawny, but fast...
Frank, a couple of his cousins and a few friends were hanging out at Terry's place, discussing their money woes when...
Someone came up with the bright idea to start a meth lab in Terry's granddaddy's abandoned hollow in the woods...
Why was the hollow abandoned to be swallowed by weeds all these years?...
No one knew...
But Granddad sure planted a lot of wild garlic around the parameter of the hollow...
This is the story of a group of redneck, tobacco chawing friends in West Virginia that thought they had come up with a plan to alleviate their money problems...
And become rich...
But when they crossed into the hollow and came upon 3 skeletons, their luck changed...
For the worse...
This author has really evolved since his early 80s stories. This story was excellent, though I removed 1 star for the ending.
This novella is creepy and just the right size for a one night stand on Halloween.
I'd had my fill of vampires, werewolves, and zombie stories, but this story was very engaging and well-written.
August 24, 2021
After a long entry passage we finally came to the main story with vampires lurking in a deserted hollow. The characters were well crafted and the vampires presented were eerie but overall the novella rolled along a bit tedious. Also the ending didn't completely kick me off the rocker. Good prose and plotting but overall I missed tension and action. It was okay with a good cover!
June 14, 2021
With Teeth is a damn good, different take on the vampire novella. I fancied a story with bite (😜) and saw this has some great reviews and is available on KU (always a bonus!)
Right from the introduction, our narrator character Frank tells us to "forget everything that you think you know about vampires".
This is not your usual Dracula-esque tale and another direct quote is "vampires do not fucking sparkle", so you can quickly surmise that this story will be nothing like Twilight. 😅
There’s no romanticisation here, and as much as I am a sucker (😝) for romantic and sexy vampires, it’s quite refreshing that With Teeth is bringing them back to being primal monsters.
A group of middle aged, male friends are feeling down on their luck and stuck in dead end jobs struggling to make ends meet. Thus making them feel trapped in their hometown. They come up with a money-making scheme, something they saw on a TV show they had been watching (Breaking Bad) so I’m sure you can guess where this is going… That‘s right, they want to cook and sell meth!
Frank’s father used to earn a living making moonshine, so how different could this be - right?
When the group of men try to find a location, it doesn’t take for the gory action to kick in, throwing them off their plans and head first into fighting for their survival. It’s only around 80 pages long so it makes for a fast paced, very engaging read.
There’s also a great twist. I won’t tell you when, where or what, but you will realise by the way it is written at that point.. Your jaw will drop.
This was my first introduction to Brian Keene’s work and I am now a fan of his writing style and character/world building. Apparently all of his stories take place in the same universe, so I’m going to have to check out some of his other work soon.
Two more of his short vampire stories were included in the end here; The Last Supper and Down Under.
If you enjoyed With Teeth, you will most definitely enjoy these two as well. They feel like a great added bonus. 🧛🏻♂️
Right from the introduction, our narrator character Frank tells us to "forget everything that you think you know about vampires".
This is not your usual Dracula-esque tale and another direct quote is "vampires do not fucking sparkle", so you can quickly surmise that this story will be nothing like Twilight. 😅
There’s no romanticisation here, and as much as I am a sucker (😝) for romantic and sexy vampires, it’s quite refreshing that With Teeth is bringing them back to being primal monsters.
A group of middle aged, male friends are feeling down on their luck and stuck in dead end jobs struggling to make ends meet. Thus making them feel trapped in their hometown. They come up with a money-making scheme, something they saw on a TV show they had been watching (Breaking Bad) so I’m sure you can guess where this is going… That‘s right, they want to cook and sell meth!
Frank’s father used to earn a living making moonshine, so how different could this be - right?
When the group of men try to find a location, it doesn’t take for the gory action to kick in, throwing them off their plans and head first into fighting for their survival. It’s only around 80 pages long so it makes for a fast paced, very engaging read.
There’s also a great twist. I won’t tell you when, where or what, but you will realise by the way it is written at that point.. Your jaw will drop.
This was my first introduction to Brian Keene’s work and I am now a fan of his writing style and character/world building. Apparently all of his stories take place in the same universe, so I’m going to have to check out some of his other work soon.
Two more of his short vampire stories were included in the end here; The Last Supper and Down Under.
If you enjoyed With Teeth, you will most definitely enjoy these two as well. They feel like a great added bonus. 🧛🏻♂️
May 1, 2021
I am the publicist for the publisher of this book, Death's Head Press. I'm also a big Brian Keene fan, so take it or leave it reader-friends; I'm sharing my reading experience regardless.
This is a great vampire story. Keene brings to life a group of buddies who are kicking around some ideas to make some quick cash. One of the guys devises a plan that eventually leads them out into the woods where they encounter something hidden and near starvation in a cave.
Bad things happen.
There is a lot to love about this story.
Strong, distinct characters.
Authentic dialog.
Tense scares.
Brutal action scenes.
New life is given to an ancient trope.
The ending.
2 bonus short stories. Highly recommend.
This is a great vampire story. Keene brings to life a group of buddies who are kicking around some ideas to make some quick cash. One of the guys devises a plan that eventually leads them out into the woods where they encounter something hidden and near starvation in a cave.
Bad things happen.
There is a lot to love about this story.
Strong, distinct characters.
Authentic dialog.
Tense scares.
Brutal action scenes.
New life is given to an ancient trope.
The ending.
2 bonus short stories. Highly recommend.
May 8, 2021
A group of friends living in rural West Virginia are all struggling to make ends meet. Many have lost their jobs or had their hours cut, and are doing what they can to support their families during difficult times. As many of their children begin to reach adulthood, and their thoughts turn to saving for college, they devise a plan to make money by using their isolated locale to their advantage and head off into the forest to scout for a location to cook meth, away from the prying eyes of local law enforcement.
What they find in that forest, however, is more than they bargained for. The eerie silence and absence of animals strikes them as odd at first, until the reason for this lets itself be known once the sun starts to set and the blood begins to flow. Featuring two additional vampire-centric short stories (‘The Last Supper’ and ‘Down Under’) one thing is for sure in Brian Keene’s latest horror novella. His vampires Do. Not. Sparkle!
A thrilling mix between ‘The Descent’ and ‘30 Days of Night’, ‘With Teeth’ is yet another winner from prolific horror master Brian Keene. Short though it may be (100 pages) it packs a hell of a punch and is immensely engaging, making this the perfect book for a horror fan to sit and devour in a single sitting.
The story may not be a ground-breaking one but ‘With Teeth’ is a prime example of why not every book needs a unique hook or a new twist on an old formula. Sometimes a classic story told with style is just what you need, no more, no less.
There are a great many things about ‘With Teeth’ that elevate it beyond another in a long line of well-trod man versus vampire stories. First and foremost is Keene’s incredible knack for characters and dialogue. The early build-up where we meet the large cast is a joy to read. You feel like you’re sat there with them as they drink a beer, shoot the breeze and generally just enjoy each other’s company. You know that not all of them are going to make it to the final chapter (hell, it’s a Brian Keene book. It’s not a given that any of them will) but it takes literally a few pages for you to care what happens to them.
Strong character work is all well and good but what about the vampires? Anne Rice fans may be in for a shock as these are not your standard aristocratic bloodsuckers, waiting patiently in their sprawling mansions for a comely lady to stumble willingly into their arms. The vampires of ‘With Teeth’ are feral, wild animals, vaguely humanoid but otherwise a whole different ball-game to what you might expect. They aren’t cunning or shown to be all that intelligent. They are vicious, relentless, ruthless killers and once the book introduces them, all hell breaks loose.
The second half of the book is big on action, bigger on gore and violence, and things get pretty tense as the group tries to flee as they see friends killed horribly and without warning. There are some pretty extreme scenes, but the tone is firmly set to fun and you almost feel as if you’ve held your breath for fifty pages once you get to the end.
Fans of Keene (and I can only presume that is most of you) will no doubt love the book, and it does veer slightly from the stories you could typically expect from him. The closest comparison I could think of would be ‘Castaways’, sans the overt Richard Laymon influences, replaced instead with the easy camaraderie of the boys from ‘Ghoul’. If that sounds like a book you want to read (and it sure did to me) then you’re in for a wild ride with his latest. If this is your first time reading him then it is a great starting point. It's fast-paced, fun and delivers on everything that Keene has been so good at consistently putting out for the past twenty years.
‘With Teeth’ is a brutal, relentless, tense rollercoaster ride with blood and mayhem galore, anchored by Keene’s trademark strong and memorable characters. This is another must-read from one of horrors most remarkable voices.
This review was initially written for and published by Horroroasis.com
Check out their site for horror book and movie reviews, articles, giveaways and more.
What they find in that forest, however, is more than they bargained for. The eerie silence and absence of animals strikes them as odd at first, until the reason for this lets itself be known once the sun starts to set and the blood begins to flow. Featuring two additional vampire-centric short stories (‘The Last Supper’ and ‘Down Under’) one thing is for sure in Brian Keene’s latest horror novella. His vampires Do. Not. Sparkle!
A thrilling mix between ‘The Descent’ and ‘30 Days of Night’, ‘With Teeth’ is yet another winner from prolific horror master Brian Keene. Short though it may be (100 pages) it packs a hell of a punch and is immensely engaging, making this the perfect book for a horror fan to sit and devour in a single sitting.
The story may not be a ground-breaking one but ‘With Teeth’ is a prime example of why not every book needs a unique hook or a new twist on an old formula. Sometimes a classic story told with style is just what you need, no more, no less.
There are a great many things about ‘With Teeth’ that elevate it beyond another in a long line of well-trod man versus vampire stories. First and foremost is Keene’s incredible knack for characters and dialogue. The early build-up where we meet the large cast is a joy to read. You feel like you’re sat there with them as they drink a beer, shoot the breeze and generally just enjoy each other’s company. You know that not all of them are going to make it to the final chapter (hell, it’s a Brian Keene book. It’s not a given that any of them will) but it takes literally a few pages for you to care what happens to them.
Strong character work is all well and good but what about the vampires? Anne Rice fans may be in for a shock as these are not your standard aristocratic bloodsuckers, waiting patiently in their sprawling mansions for a comely lady to stumble willingly into their arms. The vampires of ‘With Teeth’ are feral, wild animals, vaguely humanoid but otherwise a whole different ball-game to what you might expect. They aren’t cunning or shown to be all that intelligent. They are vicious, relentless, ruthless killers and once the book introduces them, all hell breaks loose.
The second half of the book is big on action, bigger on gore and violence, and things get pretty tense as the group tries to flee as they see friends killed horribly and without warning. There are some pretty extreme scenes, but the tone is firmly set to fun and you almost feel as if you’ve held your breath for fifty pages once you get to the end.
Fans of Keene (and I can only presume that is most of you) will no doubt love the book, and it does veer slightly from the stories you could typically expect from him. The closest comparison I could think of would be ‘Castaways’, sans the overt Richard Laymon influences, replaced instead with the easy camaraderie of the boys from ‘Ghoul’. If that sounds like a book you want to read (and it sure did to me) then you’re in for a wild ride with his latest. If this is your first time reading him then it is a great starting point. It's fast-paced, fun and delivers on everything that Keene has been so good at consistently putting out for the past twenty years.
‘With Teeth’ is a brutal, relentless, tense rollercoaster ride with blood and mayhem galore, anchored by Keene’s trademark strong and memorable characters. This is another must-read from one of horrors most remarkable voices.
This review was initially written for and published by Horroroasis.com
Check out their site for horror book and movie reviews, articles, giveaways and more.
May 21, 2021
Six friends in the backwoods of West Virginia encounter vampires for looking for the perfect place to set up a meth lab, and these vampires don't sparkle.
Filled with characters, that everyone can relate to, especially in theses trying times. Keene really makes you feel like your a part of these guys life and puts you through the paces. An unrelebnting novella that I couldn't put down.
Filled with characters, that everyone can relate to, especially in theses trying times. Keene really makes you feel like your a part of these guys life and puts you through the paces. An unrelebnting novella that I couldn't put down.
March 3, 2025
“With Teeth” by Brian Keene is one hell of a vampiric ride. I’ve always enjoyed “creature feature” books, especially of the vampiric kind as this one checked all the boxes for me and then some.
Before I begin my review, here are all the trigger warnings I found while reading…
- Violence to animals (chickens and insects)
- Drugs
- Politics
- Racism
If any of these trigger you, please don’t read this book. Moving along, I’ve always enjoyed reading horror books by Keene as he’s one of the best at it. This is one of those short, sweet, and straight-to-the-point vampire books that debunks all the usual tropes you’d expect. I loved the intro, which cleanses readers of all the media nonsense about vampires and adds a nice level of immersion. There are no sparkling or romantic vampires here at all.
I legit laughed out loud with what he wrote through the eyes of one of the main characters about forgetting everything you know about vampires and how real what he went through was. This book was a mix of Blair Witch Project meets Breaking Bad and Dracula. I loved it since I’m a massive fan of all three.
This novella was so much fun to read. It had relatable characters, a great story, incredible vampiric gore, and a plot twist that blew my mind at the end. Don’t worry, I would never spoil anything for you, but this novella felt incredibly real and was a fun, bloody read from beginning to end.
The ending was fantastic, especially the buildup to everything that transpired. All the horror here was excellent as this novella was one of the best and most grounded vampire stories I’ve read in years. This is how it should be when it comes to vampires and the brutal horror they bring to their victims.
I give “With Teeth” by Brian Keene a perfect 5/5 for being such an outstanding, bloody, wild vampiric read. I connected with all the characters, their struggles, and the sheer terror of what happens when vampires enter the mix. Keene once again delivered a magnificent horror story in about 100 pages. I also loved how Keene shared his thoughts on how this short story came about in the afterword. He also included two previous short stories he wrote many moons ago, connecting some of the characters you just read to package it all together. Read this immediately if you want a quick and realistic vampire novella (and more) to sink your teeth in. You will not be disappointed.
Before I begin my review, here are all the trigger warnings I found while reading…
- Violence to animals (chickens and insects)
- Drugs
- Politics
- Racism
If any of these trigger you, please don’t read this book. Moving along, I’ve always enjoyed reading horror books by Keene as he’s one of the best at it. This is one of those short, sweet, and straight-to-the-point vampire books that debunks all the usual tropes you’d expect. I loved the intro, which cleanses readers of all the media nonsense about vampires and adds a nice level of immersion. There are no sparkling or romantic vampires here at all.
I legit laughed out loud with what he wrote through the eyes of one of the main characters about forgetting everything you know about vampires and how real what he went through was. This book was a mix of Blair Witch Project meets Breaking Bad and Dracula. I loved it since I’m a massive fan of all three.
This novella was so much fun to read. It had relatable characters, a great story, incredible vampiric gore, and a plot twist that blew my mind at the end. Don’t worry, I would never spoil anything for you, but this novella felt incredibly real and was a fun, bloody read from beginning to end.
The ending was fantastic, especially the buildup to everything that transpired. All the horror here was excellent as this novella was one of the best and most grounded vampire stories I’ve read in years. This is how it should be when it comes to vampires and the brutal horror they bring to their victims.
I give “With Teeth” by Brian Keene a perfect 5/5 for being such an outstanding, bloody, wild vampiric read. I connected with all the characters, their struggles, and the sheer terror of what happens when vampires enter the mix. Keene once again delivered a magnificent horror story in about 100 pages. I also loved how Keene shared his thoughts on how this short story came about in the afterword. He also included two previous short stories he wrote many moons ago, connecting some of the characters you just read to package it all together. Read this immediately if you want a quick and realistic vampire novella (and more) to sink your teeth in. You will not be disappointed.
October 5, 2021
Story 4/5
Narration 5/5
Narration 5/5
September 8, 2021
Deep in the heart of West Virginia exists a group of rabid, savage vampires who have devolved into a race of sub-human monsters after decades of not feeding. A group of middle-aged men happen to cross paths with these creatures while walking through the woods, and after a hundred years of withering away from starvation, it's time for this group of vampires to finally feast on human blood once again.
Surprisingly, this actually turned out to be a great, heart wrenching story about family, friendship and loneliness. Despite me being worried that this book wouldn't live up to the high bar that Brian Keene has set for himself in the past, this one turned out to be another classic Brian Keene banger that is a worthy addition to his already vast bibliography.
Im giving this book 4 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
You can watch my full video review here:
https://youtu.be/aL-cOY_9wPc
Surprisingly, this actually turned out to be a great, heart wrenching story about family, friendship and loneliness. Despite me being worried that this book wouldn't live up to the high bar that Brian Keene has set for himself in the past, this one turned out to be another classic Brian Keene banger that is a worthy addition to his already vast bibliography.
Im giving this book 4 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
You can watch my full video review here:
https://youtu.be/aL-cOY_9wPc
June 17, 2021
Here are the things you need to know about vampires: First of all they don’t dress in black. They’re not high cultured, well mannered, nicely groomed, or perfectly fucking coifed. They don’t hang out in cemeteries and tombs, listening to Bauhaus or Type O Negative and smoking clove cigarettes and whining about how much life sucks. Vampires don’t fucking sparkle.
And there you have the beginning of the best Keene story in years.
I’ve spoken at length on Keene’s tumultuous past. How health issues and a very public fall out with Dorchester led to a reduced work load and, what I think, made him a bit of an ass, becoming the mouthpiece of frustrated authors, but inflating his ego…thus leading to some very sub par works.
Well, that’s all in the past now since With Teeth is easily Keene’s best story since probably 2010.
Everything about With Teeth is vintage Keene. It’s fast, well written, to the point. The characters are actually those you can feel, and can relate to. The violence and action is top notch and the story doesn’t mess around. And there’s the constant callbacks to Keene’s other works, which will please everyone.
I really hope this is Keene coming back to form, because if it is, I’m back to being a huge fan.
And there you have the beginning of the best Keene story in years.
I’ve spoken at length on Keene’s tumultuous past. How health issues and a very public fall out with Dorchester led to a reduced work load and, what I think, made him a bit of an ass, becoming the mouthpiece of frustrated authors, but inflating his ego…thus leading to some very sub par works.
Well, that’s all in the past now since With Teeth is easily Keene’s best story since probably 2010.
Everything about With Teeth is vintage Keene. It’s fast, well written, to the point. The characters are actually those you can feel, and can relate to. The violence and action is top notch and the story doesn’t mess around. And there’s the constant callbacks to Keene’s other works, which will please everyone.
I really hope this is Keene coming back to form, because if it is, I’m back to being a huge fan.
May 14, 2021
You gotta love Brian's action scenes. They don't get much better than that. I dug his idea of sticking these vampires in a hollow, and these dudes venturing in and coming across them.
The brief moments of the group's discovery of the creatures gave me DESCENT vibes (which is a good thing), and the rest was pure Keene.
WITH TEETH might give you second thoughts about sticking your head in a hole.
The brief moments of the group's discovery of the creatures gave me DESCENT vibes (which is a good thing), and the rest was pure Keene.
WITH TEETH might give you second thoughts about sticking your head in a hole.
June 26, 2021
This is 100% of why we don’t nature. The chances of having a vampire in your home are low but increase exponentially once you leave. So much nope.
In all seriousness, this novella was a fun read, and I’d recommend it to those who want something short and fun. Something that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s 4 stars from me.
In all seriousness, this novella was a fun read, and I’d recommend it to those who want something short and fun. Something that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s 4 stars from me.
July 16, 2022
Brian Keene always delivers exciting, fresh, and pulse-pounding tales of the macabre. Short in length, With Teeth's horrifying storyline - about a group of eight lifelong friends going deep in the hallows in search of a well hidden place to start - what they hope will be - a get rich quick business plan - is very long in terror.
Things quickly go south when they venture upon a cave which one of them is driven to explore and finds blood sucking horrors beyond their wildest imaginations. The gore explodes as the group tries to find their way out and back to safety. Unfortunately, there is no mercy for them (or the reader) when the extremely gruesome events start to unfold at rapid-fire speed.
The action and thrills are nonstop from here until almost the very end, when it suddenly halts and becomes reflective and sentimental in tone. This would have been a fine ending if there was longer segue and gradual slowing down of the pace into the last few pages. Even so, this is still well worth the read and I would definitely recommend to all my fellow hardcore horror aficionados out there.
Things quickly go south when they venture upon a cave which one of them is driven to explore and finds blood sucking horrors beyond their wildest imaginations. The gore explodes as the group tries to find their way out and back to safety. Unfortunately, there is no mercy for them (or the reader) when the extremely gruesome events start to unfold at rapid-fire speed.
The action and thrills are nonstop from here until almost the very end, when it suddenly halts and becomes reflective and sentimental in tone. This would have been a fine ending if there was longer segue and gradual slowing down of the pace into the last few pages. Even so, this is still well worth the read and I would definitely recommend to all my fellow hardcore horror aficionados out there.
November 24, 2023
With Teeth is a very good novella in which Keene, perhaps best known as "the zombie guy" to casual horror readers, gives us his take on vampires. Anita Blake would not be impressed. The story is set in a rural area of West Virginia reminiscent of his Earthworm Gods that has perhaps a few more bears and caves than it did when I lived there but is nonetheless quite true to life. (Copperheads are assholes, yep.) The story concerns a compelling cast of characters that he establishes quite realistically and sympathetically with remarkable pith and brevity. There's a connection to Kill Whitey, my least favorite of Keene's books, but I liked this one quite a bit. The book is rounded out with a pair of vamp-centric short stories and comes with a striking cover that at first take looks like Elric popping out of Wolverine's nose. It's a quick, bleak, and memorable book.
August 10, 2021
Really good.
This was my first Brian Keene book and I absolutely loved it. I love these vampires the definitely don't belong in a romance novel. The writing was very good I will 100% be checking out more by this author.
This was my first Brian Keene book and I absolutely loved it. I love these vampires the definitely don't belong in a romance novel. The writing was very good I will 100% be checking out more by this author.
February 25, 2022
Frank and his group of hardened old-timer buddies living in rural West Virginia sit around one evening at their friend Terry's trailer, venting about their daily griefs, financial struggles and the growing difficulty to make ends meet in their deteriorating homeland. After shooting out some wild ideas and talking about their families troubling histories, they get to talking about cooking and selling meth to make a killing. All they have to do it enter the nearby hollow hiding Frank's grandfather's stomping grounds where he used to illegally make moonshine during the prohibition, a perfect place to create a meth lab where no one would find it. Unknown to Frank and his friends, however, something ancient and terrible has taken residence in the old hollow, and they're hungry for blood.
A thrilling and original take on the vampire genre. A group of lovable and relatable old goofballs making poor decisions leads to a horrifying night of disaster. The vampires in this story could be seen as a sort of metaphor of what hard drugs and violent desperation can do to a man. There's no romanticization or empathy about them, just bloodthirsty monsters hellbent on spreading misfortune and dragging everyone down with them to prolong their own lives. It's classic vampire horror with a touch of Breaking Bad and Trailer Park Boys modernism.
With Teeth comes with a pair of modernist vampire short stories that are also damn good. The one I especially liked is about how maddening it is for an immortal, lonely vampire to live in an apocalyptic world where humans have gone extinct. Almost felt like a reverse I Am Legend scenario.
A thrilling and original take on the vampire genre. A group of lovable and relatable old goofballs making poor decisions leads to a horrifying night of disaster. The vampires in this story could be seen as a sort of metaphor of what hard drugs and violent desperation can do to a man. There's no romanticization or empathy about them, just bloodthirsty monsters hellbent on spreading misfortune and dragging everyone down with them to prolong their own lives. It's classic vampire horror with a touch of Breaking Bad and Trailer Park Boys modernism.
With Teeth comes with a pair of modernist vampire short stories that are also damn good. The one I especially liked is about how maddening it is for an immortal, lonely vampire to live in an apocalyptic world where humans have gone extinct. Almost felt like a reverse I Am Legend scenario.
May 3, 2021
Whoa! What a story! From the gate Brian Keene gives us a narrator with a great voice and he really sets the stage for the lay of the land and who everyone is. The early character conversations really connect you and make you feel invested in their stories and it's pretty cool Keene is able to establish that so quickly in a shorter story.
Once we get to the spooks, they REALLY come in full force. As if the gods were watching, lightning struck hard as soon as I buried my head like Sebastian in The Neverending Story getting as immersed in the story as I could. Naturally, though, it was timed perfectly with a creepy scene and I screamed and threw my cat off my lap. Oops!
The remainder of the book I was uneasy. I kept tucking my toes in and lifting my legs under the blankets because it just felt wrong not to. I felt exposed and like someone was behind me the entire last 50% of the story. I had to protect myself, okay?!
Keene gives us ravenous vampires, blood galore, impending darkness and doom, and really tells a vampire story that will make you want to sleep with garlic in your bed. Once you become invested in these characters you don't want to see anything bad happen to a single one of them. This is a must read!
Once we get to the spooks, they REALLY come in full force. As if the gods were watching, lightning struck hard as soon as I buried my head like Sebastian in The Neverending Story getting as immersed in the story as I could. Naturally, though, it was timed perfectly with a creepy scene and I screamed and threw my cat off my lap. Oops!
The remainder of the book I was uneasy. I kept tucking my toes in and lifting my legs under the blankets because it just felt wrong not to. I felt exposed and like someone was behind me the entire last 50% of the story. I had to protect myself, okay?!
Keene gives us ravenous vampires, blood galore, impending darkness and doom, and really tells a vampire story that will make you want to sleep with garlic in your bed. Once you become invested in these characters you don't want to see anything bad happen to a single one of them. This is a must read!
April 25, 2022
My first book by author Brian Keene and definitely won’t be last. The premise of this story is about a group of life-long friends who basically are all in financial struggle and one day they’re all bullshitting around about starting a meth lab out in the forest where they will be discreet and away from detection under the thick canopy of the woods, so they can start making some more money.
At first, they decide to take the four wheel drive into the rugged terrain but can only make it so far before they have to stop and go by foot by following a narrow trail. They eventually stumble upon a cave and that’s when trouble arise… White Teeth is not your fancy Edward Cullen or classic Dracula story.
What we have here is something else…
3.5 stars
At first, they decide to take the four wheel drive into the rugged terrain but can only make it so far before they have to stop and go by foot by following a narrow trail. They eventually stumble upon a cave and that’s when trouble arise… White Teeth is not your fancy Edward Cullen or classic Dracula story.
What we have here is something else…
3.5 stars
May 8, 2021
Few things these days cause me to lose interest in a horror title faster than learning it's a book featuring either zombies or vampires. Both figures have completely oversaturated the market these last few decades while doing little that's actually original or, at the very least, interesting with these well-worn, deader than a doornail, monstrous staples. The rare exception (and there are exceptions, to be sure) is Brian Keene, who has, over the years, conditioned me to go out of my way to read his zombie books (Ob rules!) and now, with With Teeth, his vampire novella.
My main reason for being excited about With Teeth lies with Keene's short vampire story, "The Last Supper," a post-apocalyptic look at a lone vampire in the wasteland, which I read back in 2015 in Christopher Golden's Seize the Night: New Tales of Vampiric Terror. It was one of the standout stories in that collection and it's stuck with me well enough over the years and hundred and hundreds and hundreds of books since that I was actually pretty damn eager to see Keene return to the vampire genre with this new release.
As the title indicates, With Teeth has plenty of bite and Keene gives us an unflinching look at vampirism in the heavily shadowed backwoods hollows of West Virginia. Frank, his cousins, and a handful of friends, including the instantly dislikable and deplorable Cecil, are hurting financially. One makes a joke about Breaking Bad, while another thinks about their grandfather's Prohibition-era moonshine operation, reflecting on Appalachia's current meth crisis. The idea takes root and the following day the men are traipsing through Frank's grandfather's old and well-hidden stomping grounds, trying to find the perfect place to set up a meth lab. Of course, they find a helluva lot more than they bargained for...
As Frank tells us in the book's opening, vampires aren't sexy, well-dressed, high-cultured romantics, and that "Vampires do not fucking sparkle." I suppose it's a testament to the lasting endurance of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga that more than fifteen years later, every horror author writing about vampires still has to remind us in some way or another that vampires don't sparkle as they seek to get back to the terrifying roots of these undying terrors. Needless to say, Keene's vampires have teeth, and he posits these figures as being far more animalistic and rabid than popular culture posits, something more akin to sharks than human beings. They're predatory and vicious, and hiding in the caves of West Virginia, very, very hungry.
Keene absolutely nails the themes of being trapped, whether it's by vampires or generations of poverty keeping his rugged and destitute, blue collar cast stuck inside an ever-tightening noose of economic decline and unable to provide better lives for their loved ones. In exploring the history of West Virginia and the lives of his characters, Keene shows us the ways in which capitalism and economic anxiety are its own form of vampirism. Frank, his friends, and family work dead ends jobs, making less money with each passing year as the costs of living rise and work hours get slashed, leaving them dependent on welfare and dreams of making it rich as meth dealers. Ah yes, the good, old American Dream...
Keene's got a lot on his mind, and it all gets explored with deft, cutting precision. The main story accounts for roughly 80% of my Kindle copy, with the rest of the space reprinting two of Keene's loosely connected vampire short stories, "The Last Supper" and "Down Under." It was a pleasure to revisit "The Last Supper," although "Down Under" was new to me and lots of fun. Both are definitely worth a read and complement With Teeth perfectly. They also leave a bit of wiggle room in Keene's vampiric timeline in this corner of the labyrinth, which has my blood pumping in the hope for more stories in this vein.
My main reason for being excited about With Teeth lies with Keene's short vampire story, "The Last Supper," a post-apocalyptic look at a lone vampire in the wasteland, which I read back in 2015 in Christopher Golden's Seize the Night: New Tales of Vampiric Terror. It was one of the standout stories in that collection and it's stuck with me well enough over the years and hundred and hundreds and hundreds of books since that I was actually pretty damn eager to see Keene return to the vampire genre with this new release.
As the title indicates, With Teeth has plenty of bite and Keene gives us an unflinching look at vampirism in the heavily shadowed backwoods hollows of West Virginia. Frank, his cousins, and a handful of friends, including the instantly dislikable and deplorable Cecil, are hurting financially. One makes a joke about Breaking Bad, while another thinks about their grandfather's Prohibition-era moonshine operation, reflecting on Appalachia's current meth crisis. The idea takes root and the following day the men are traipsing through Frank's grandfather's old and well-hidden stomping grounds, trying to find the perfect place to set up a meth lab. Of course, they find a helluva lot more than they bargained for...
As Frank tells us in the book's opening, vampires aren't sexy, well-dressed, high-cultured romantics, and that "Vampires do not fucking sparkle." I suppose it's a testament to the lasting endurance of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga that more than fifteen years later, every horror author writing about vampires still has to remind us in some way or another that vampires don't sparkle as they seek to get back to the terrifying roots of these undying terrors. Needless to say, Keene's vampires have teeth, and he posits these figures as being far more animalistic and rabid than popular culture posits, something more akin to sharks than human beings. They're predatory and vicious, and hiding in the caves of West Virginia, very, very hungry.
Keene absolutely nails the themes of being trapped, whether it's by vampires or generations of poverty keeping his rugged and destitute, blue collar cast stuck inside an ever-tightening noose of economic decline and unable to provide better lives for their loved ones. In exploring the history of West Virginia and the lives of his characters, Keene shows us the ways in which capitalism and economic anxiety are its own form of vampirism. Frank, his friends, and family work dead ends jobs, making less money with each passing year as the costs of living rise and work hours get slashed, leaving them dependent on welfare and dreams of making it rich as meth dealers. Ah yes, the good, old American Dream...
Keene's got a lot on his mind, and it all gets explored with deft, cutting precision. The main story accounts for roughly 80% of my Kindle copy, with the rest of the space reprinting two of Keene's loosely connected vampire short stories, "The Last Supper" and "Down Under." It was a pleasure to revisit "The Last Supper," although "Down Under" was new to me and lots of fun. Both are definitely worth a read and complement With Teeth perfectly. They also leave a bit of wiggle room in Keene's vampiric timeline in this corner of the labyrinth, which has my blood pumping in the hope for more stories in this vein.
May 11, 2021
OBSESSED
September 2, 2021
I think it’s time I went in a little journey…. A Keene journey that is.
I’m a bit embarrassed to say this but…. I’ve haven’t read that much Keene. Well, that’s about to change!
White Teeth is a short little story, but man, oh man, was it mighty!
Definitely one of my most favorite modern day vampire stories.
Look out, I’m on the hunt for some more Keene.
I’m a bit embarrassed to say this but…. I’ve haven’t read that much Keene. Well, that’s about to change!
White Teeth is a short little story, but man, oh man, was it mighty!
Definitely one of my most favorite modern day vampire stories.
Look out, I’m on the hunt for some more Keene.
September 4, 2021
The most satisfying vampire story I’ve read in years.
July 7, 2021
Greedy grunts and low growls...
April 23, 2022
What happens when you cross rednecks looking for a site to manufacture meth with vampires? Maybe something like "With Teeth".....a group of friends with money issues decide to manufacture meth to raise cash, and, in scouting out a location, inadvertently discover vampires trapped in a small cave....and not your suave, aristocratic vampires either, nor do they sparkle.....
I'm not familiar with Brian Keene's work, but this won't be the last book I've read by this author.
And watch out before exploring any caves....
I'm not familiar with Brian Keene's work, but this won't be the last book I've read by this author.
And watch out before exploring any caves....
May 7, 2021
This was phenomenal!! Full review to come.
May 16, 2021
I really enjoyed this one. Action packed and full of dread from the very beginning, this slim novella really delivers.
May 20, 2021
Been a long time fan of Brian Keene. This was a pretty good Novella. Not the best I've read from him, but pretty good. Keene has a pretty good take on vampires. Really excited to see if Keene will publish more work with Death's Head Press.
July 5, 2021
Pretty solid fun vampire read! A great horror book
May 21, 2021
One day I'll stop saying that I'm new to horror, but since I'm still in my first year, today isn't that day. WITH TEETH is the first anything I've read by Brain Keene and I can't wait to sink my teeth into more!
This novella revolves around a group of friends (and some family) that are all need to make some money for various reasons. What starts out as just talk quickly turns into a real plan to cook meth (the quickest way to make money). They decide to use a hollow way out on some family property, but it needs to be cleared out. There are some old family stories of the place being haunted, but surely that can't be true...
I don't consider it a spoiler to say this novella is about vampires. Within the first few pages, the rules are laid out; vampires are nothing like what you or the characters think. They're not well-dressed pretty tortured beings that complain about living forever. They're more like sharks or "rabid weasels". That's right, weasels. That's what we're dealing with. Yikes.
There's a lot to love about this book. For me, it starts with the characters- they feel like real people with real problems. The financial issues they're having are very believable. The dialogue between these friends feels authentic. They're not bad people, the just need a bail out.
Then there's the horror we all know and love. When the blood does start pouring, it doesn't stop. The gore or the story. You could easily finish this in one or two sittings depending on how fast you read, but you're going to want to know how it ends once the madness starts.
After the feature presentation, there's two other vampire stories Brian Keene wrote several years ago that are both fantastic. They're very different from each other, and that's all I say about them. They're not long and well worth reading, so stick around after the credits.
If you're a Keene fan already, checking this out is no-brainer. Or, if you're new to his work like me, this feels like a solid place to start. I know I'm going to hunt down more of his stories based on how much fun I had with this. If you want a different take on vampires, look no further!
4 out of 5 stars
* I won an ARC for review from Death's Head Press
This novella revolves around a group of friends (and some family) that are all need to make some money for various reasons. What starts out as just talk quickly turns into a real plan to cook meth (the quickest way to make money). They decide to use a hollow way out on some family property, but it needs to be cleared out. There are some old family stories of the place being haunted, but surely that can't be true...
I don't consider it a spoiler to say this novella is about vampires. Within the first few pages, the rules are laid out; vampires are nothing like what you or the characters think. They're not well-dressed pretty tortured beings that complain about living forever. They're more like sharks or "rabid weasels". That's right, weasels. That's what we're dealing with. Yikes.
There's a lot to love about this book. For me, it starts with the characters- they feel like real people with real problems. The financial issues they're having are very believable. The dialogue between these friends feels authentic. They're not bad people, the just need a bail out.
Then there's the horror we all know and love. When the blood does start pouring, it doesn't stop. The gore or the story. You could easily finish this in one or two sittings depending on how fast you read, but you're going to want to know how it ends once the madness starts.
After the feature presentation, there's two other vampire stories Brian Keene wrote several years ago that are both fantastic. They're very different from each other, and that's all I say about them. They're not long and well worth reading, so stick around after the credits.
If you're a Keene fan already, checking this out is no-brainer. Or, if you're new to his work like me, this feels like a solid place to start. I know I'm going to hunt down more of his stories based on how much fun I had with this. If you want a different take on vampires, look no further!
4 out of 5 stars
* I won an ARC for review from Death's Head Press
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