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Cryptic
Ed and Brock are seasoned grave-robbers with hundreds of bodies stolen and sold to be able to put food in their stomachs in 1800‘s England. What they couldn’t possibly know is that while it’s not easy living topside, there has been a vicious underground battle between two kinds of unnatural creatures being fought beneath their feet since before they were born. When a grave robbery goes wrong and the two are sepa-rated, Ed tracks Brock to an estate in the countryside where the war has begun to hit the surface when a Lord has been infected by a virus that leaves him hungering for human flesh. To survive, Ed must outwit zombies, a race of primitive creatures, and human foe alike to escape a terror that has been waging underground for hundreds of years and is ready to see the light of day.
159 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 14, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 12, 2012
After starting on a book I was going to review and not being able to get through it (I won’t post anything that negative), it was a relief to step into one of DA’s stories. I was expecting good things based on her short stories and I wasn’t disappointed.
The novella begins with Marcus reflecting on the newly constructed family crypt, and the tragic death of his father. Marcus blamed himself for that, and the crypt was a means of atonement. Marcus is then attacked and dies as gruesomely as his father had.
The story then jumps to over a hundred years later. We are now introduced to Guliana, a poor sole being coerced into a marriage to further her family’s ambitions. She is travelling with the man expected to become her husband. Her lanky wooer, Conor, sensing her reluctance, tries to charm her with words. Before he can get far, they are attacked by something horrible and Guliana is carried off. Conor’s search for her leads to a dark and disturbing discovery.
The story travels again in time to almost a hundred years later and we are presented with a subterranean creature who is an offshoot of humans. We learn of her kind’s history and their interaction with the undead in the area. DA adds in a couple of grave-robbers and the local nobility, and then brings the story all together.
I loved the way this took place over centuries and introduced mutant creatures and walking dead for a horrific back-drop, all the while providing you with fascinating characters and rich history. Then, at the centre of it all, is the crypt. DA is a natural writer who is well-skilled at creating intrigue and building suspense. This isn’t for the faint of heart, with plenty of violence and gore one would expect from a tale of horror intermingled with the colourful storyline. This was a terrific read and I’d love to see something longer from this author.
The novella begins with Marcus reflecting on the newly constructed family crypt, and the tragic death of his father. Marcus blamed himself for that, and the crypt was a means of atonement. Marcus is then attacked and dies as gruesomely as his father had.
The story then jumps to over a hundred years later. We are now introduced to Guliana, a poor sole being coerced into a marriage to further her family’s ambitions. She is travelling with the man expected to become her husband. Her lanky wooer, Conor, sensing her reluctance, tries to charm her with words. Before he can get far, they are attacked by something horrible and Guliana is carried off. Conor’s search for her leads to a dark and disturbing discovery.
The story travels again in time to almost a hundred years later and we are presented with a subterranean creature who is an offshoot of humans. We learn of her kind’s history and their interaction with the undead in the area. DA adds in a couple of grave-robbers and the local nobility, and then brings the story all together.
I loved the way this took place over centuries and introduced mutant creatures and walking dead for a horrific back-drop, all the while providing you with fascinating characters and rich history. Then, at the centre of it all, is the crypt. DA is a natural writer who is well-skilled at creating intrigue and building suspense. This isn’t for the faint of heart, with plenty of violence and gore one would expect from a tale of horror intermingled with the colourful storyline. This was a terrific read and I’d love to see something longer from this author.
June 16, 2012
D.A. Chaney’s zombie novella Cryptic is a step away from the typical apocalyptic tale as most of it takes place two centuries in the past. Ed (or Edwina) robs graves to make ends meet. But as with much of the criminal element, she runs into some hard luck and ends up losing track of her partner. The story follows her attempts to find him. But this isn’t just Ed’s story, it’s the story of an ancient civilization that’s been battling the zombies long before Ed finds them.
While all of D.A.’s characters weren’t likeable (just like life), I liked Ed. She had spunk and had no intention of just being “the little woman.” The situations presented in the story never let me get bored. There was always something cringe-worthy waiting on the next page…or even the next paragraph. Chaney’s addition of the underground civilization intrigued me enough to wish there had been more of it in the story. Where the work fell short for me was in the editing.
Overall, the book was interesting enough to finish reading and enjoy, but I’d love to see a cleaned up (perhaps expanded) second edition.
While all of D.A.’s characters weren’t likeable (just like life), I liked Ed. She had spunk and had no intention of just being “the little woman.” The situations presented in the story never let me get bored. There was always something cringe-worthy waiting on the next page…or even the next paragraph. Chaney’s addition of the underground civilization intrigued me enough to wish there had been more of it in the story. Where the work fell short for me was in the editing.
Overall, the book was interesting enough to finish reading and enjoy, but I’d love to see a cleaned up (perhaps expanded) second edition.
September 28, 2011
In this pleasantly paced novella, Ms. Chaney eschews the modern day zombie story and takes you back to a time where there were not gun stores in every corner. This book has a very believable lead female character that breaks away from the same-old same-old. It is a nice way to spend a soggy afternoon.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews