Death Rites

by M.A. Dunham

A young boy watches his tribe's forbidden sacrificial rites. The results change his life forever.

Genres: Fantasy

20 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 7, 2012

Reviews

[Georgia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay disclaimer...I am the author's mom. So this is a mom's review not a subjective reader!

I enjoyed the short story it ended in a different manner than expected. I just wish it was longer. I guess that does show the story was good when you wish you could continue reading about the people in the story.

[Nicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

The setting is familiar: young overconfident showoff bites of more than he can chew in an act of adolescent curiosity. Dire consequences ensue (don't they always), that will forever alter the course of his story and test his inherent courage to the limit.
The plot unfolds in an original ethnic setting shrouded in obscurity. The language is vividly colorful, the pacing lightningfast. Empathizing with the protagonist comes effortlessly and it's remarkable how the author managed crafting a credible character relationship in such an incredible situation.
Just because it is a short read doesn't mean it will make less of an impact.
Be prepared to dive right in and be left a bit dazed when it's all over.
Well worth sacrificing a bit of your reading time for.

[Dagger · Rating 5 out of 5]

So far, this is actually my favorite of Dunham's works. It's a short, quick read, but it feels longer because of the character and emotional development this young, highly talented, storyteller was able to fit into a mere 20 pages. And that's precisely what you get with Dunham, a writer, yes, but a true storyteller first and foremost! When an author puts the story ahead of the writing style and modern convention, while maintaining a firm grasp of proper, yet creative, language usage, you are really in for something special! This unusual and unexpected tale will stay with me for years to come!

[Shannon]

In a work this short, it is sometimes difficult to develop a relationship with the character but the author dove in right away making me care about Adjit and what was happening to him. Very quick read. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and look forward to more from this author.