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Frankly Spooking
An unsettling collection of tales that will draw out the fears that lie hidden in the deepest, darkest recesses of your mind. You encounter the dead in places you would never expect: the corridors of a swanky office, a busy shopping mall, a quiet classroom or may be knocking at your door.
Tales of horror, unexpected yet not unfamiliar, Frankly Spooking is perfect for those nights when the rains lash against your window pane and the lights go off.
Tales of horror, unexpected yet not unfamiliar, Frankly Spooking is perfect for those nights when the rains lash against your window pane and the lights go off.
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
216 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2013
50 people want to read
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November 27, 2013
My review of Frankly Spooking by Sriramana Muliya
Growing up, I was a huge fan of R. L. Stine's Goosebumps. I had a personal collection of them and would read and reread them till I knew each and every twist and turn in the stories by heart. These books had a special place in my heart. Sadly, I grew out of them. Years since I had read my last Goosebumps book, I picked one up from a bookstore and realized that it no longer made me feel the way they used to make me feel when I was young. I realized I wasn't that kid anymore. For years, I searched for a book that would give me the same feeling of excitement and adrenaline, but I kept disappointing myself.
The week before Halloween, my friend suggested me this book: Frankly Spooking. Frankly speaking (no pun intended), I didn't expect much from the book. Knowing its from an Indian author, I expected more or less some kind of a variation of a guy falling in love with "the girl of his dreams", then the girl found mysteriously dead, then her soul haunting the guy scaring the hell out of him, and, of course, the revelation at the end that in fact she didn't die of natural causes but was murdered by him.
On Halloween night, sitting all by myself and bored out of my wits, I decide to read the book. 2-1/2 pages later, I could feel the hair stand up on the back of my neck. Whilst my tea and lit cigarette lay forgotten on the table, I found myself rushing through this book that had taken me by quite a surprise. I found it amusing that each story had a surprise twist ending. Some are just a tad too scary. After sometime, I started getting the strange feeling that may be I am not alone in my room. That’s when I decided to lay the book off till the next day.
The next day, I am back to reading the book. I found that each story had something unique and unexpected. There are mannequins turning people into mannequins, crazy murderous friends, ghosts socializing at suicide points, tattoos coming to life, cannibals, and many many more.
Halfway through the book, I reached a point where I felt I was starting to sense a pattern. I was in fact able to expect what the ending would be for one of the stories and was starting to lose interest. But except for the 2 odd predictable stories (to me at least; I read a lot of horror stuff), the book soon pulled me back into it. Soon, I lost track of time and before I knew it, I was on the last few pages.
The way I felt when I read this book was the way I felt when I was 10 years old and reading my first Goosebumps book. For me, it truly was a roller coaster ride.
If you are a horror fan, then this is a must-read book. You can read this collection of short stories on your day off or while you commute to and fro from your work. It wont fail to leave you with a chill.
I would personally rate Frankly Spooking a 5/5.
Growing up, I was a huge fan of R. L. Stine's Goosebumps. I had a personal collection of them and would read and reread them till I knew each and every twist and turn in the stories by heart. These books had a special place in my heart. Sadly, I grew out of them. Years since I had read my last Goosebumps book, I picked one up from a bookstore and realized that it no longer made me feel the way they used to make me feel when I was young. I realized I wasn't that kid anymore. For years, I searched for a book that would give me the same feeling of excitement and adrenaline, but I kept disappointing myself.
The week before Halloween, my friend suggested me this book: Frankly Spooking. Frankly speaking (no pun intended), I didn't expect much from the book. Knowing its from an Indian author, I expected more or less some kind of a variation of a guy falling in love with "the girl of his dreams", then the girl found mysteriously dead, then her soul haunting the guy scaring the hell out of him, and, of course, the revelation at the end that in fact she didn't die of natural causes but was murdered by him.
On Halloween night, sitting all by myself and bored out of my wits, I decide to read the book. 2-1/2 pages later, I could feel the hair stand up on the back of my neck. Whilst my tea and lit cigarette lay forgotten on the table, I found myself rushing through this book that had taken me by quite a surprise. I found it amusing that each story had a surprise twist ending. Some are just a tad too scary. After sometime, I started getting the strange feeling that may be I am not alone in my room. That’s when I decided to lay the book off till the next day.
The next day, I am back to reading the book. I found that each story had something unique and unexpected. There are mannequins turning people into mannequins, crazy murderous friends, ghosts socializing at suicide points, tattoos coming to life, cannibals, and many many more.
Halfway through the book, I reached a point where I felt I was starting to sense a pattern. I was in fact able to expect what the ending would be for one of the stories and was starting to lose interest. But except for the 2 odd predictable stories (to me at least; I read a lot of horror stuff), the book soon pulled me back into it. Soon, I lost track of time and before I knew it, I was on the last few pages.
The way I felt when I read this book was the way I felt when I was 10 years old and reading my first Goosebumps book. For me, it truly was a roller coaster ride.
If you are a horror fan, then this is a must-read book. You can read this collection of short stories on your day off or while you commute to and fro from your work. It wont fail to leave you with a chill.
I would personally rate Frankly Spooking a 5/5.
December 10, 2015
Thank you, Sriramana Muliya for sending me this book. It is presently hiding in my fridge, from where I am hoping it cannot scare me anymore (yes, it was Joey Tribbiani's idea to hide it there, but I am sure it works).
Frankly Spooking is a collection of thirty short stories. The flies on the front cover were enough to spook me out as they looked like they may fly out of the book and haunt me in my sleep!
Genre: Paranormal, gore, horror, suspense etc.
Description: While not all stories are truly scary (some like "Soul Stirring" are quite touching, in fact) most are the kind you do not want to read before sleeping. The author deals well with the paranormal kind, but less so with gore. The first story truly spooked me (won't spoil it for you, so I won't tell you why) but some stories, like "The Cable" would have been more scary if the author had described the scenario from the victim's point of view, rather than explaining what was happening to him (show - don't tell), as the author has done quite well in "Inked". I found "Mannequins on the Move" and "The Real Thief" to be similar (a vague resemblance).
My favorite out of this collection is "The Team Player". It was twisted in the most dark and brilliant way. However, (and I would say this about almost all the stories), the title could have been different. In fact, the book's title itself, led me to believe at first it's more of a comical take on the supernatural. A more serious title next time, Sriramana? (Yes, when there's a next time, I would pick that book up too!)
Characters: Well, as this is a collection of short stories, there really isn't much I can say about the different characters in the stories. A little more description of their behaviors and appearances would have helped though.
Language/Grammar: Some Indianism (off the top of my head - cousin sister). Otherwise, the book is simple and easy to follow. The layout and simple language would encourage more people to take up reading as a hobby again (hopefully!)
The stories could have been a bit longer. For example, the last story Blogosphere was really well written, especially because it is not too condensed or scrunched up. Short stories are tricky, but expanding them by a few paragraphs would have helped the buildup leading to the sudden and unexpected climaxes of the stories.
When I read Blogosphere, I was half hoping the author would add a more autobiographical touch to it, to spook his readers out even more! I was not entirely sure if that is what he had tried, but if yes, a bit of polishing would have convinced the reader and made him question if it is indeed true or not!
Waiting for Sriramana Muliya's next!
Note: This book was sent to me by the author, but a review was not requested. I am reviewing it here as I review most of the other books that I read. This review is not influenced by the author or anyone else in any manner.
https://rainandabook.wordpress.com/2014/11/09/frankly-spooking-by-sriramana-muliya/
Frankly Spooking is a collection of thirty short stories. The flies on the front cover were enough to spook me out as they looked like they may fly out of the book and haunt me in my sleep!
Genre: Paranormal, gore, horror, suspense etc.
Description: While not all stories are truly scary (some like "Soul Stirring" are quite touching, in fact) most are the kind you do not want to read before sleeping. The author deals well with the paranormal kind, but less so with gore. The first story truly spooked me (won't spoil it for you, so I won't tell you why) but some stories, like "The Cable" would have been more scary if the author had described the scenario from the victim's point of view, rather than explaining what was happening to him (show - don't tell), as the author has done quite well in "Inked". I found "Mannequins on the Move" and "The Real Thief" to be similar (a vague resemblance).
My favorite out of this collection is "The Team Player". It was twisted in the most dark and brilliant way. However, (and I would say this about almost all the stories), the title could have been different. In fact, the book's title itself, led me to believe at first it's more of a comical take on the supernatural. A more serious title next time, Sriramana? (Yes, when there's a next time, I would pick that book up too!)
Characters: Well, as this is a collection of short stories, there really isn't much I can say about the different characters in the stories. A little more description of their behaviors and appearances would have helped though.
Language/Grammar: Some Indianism (off the top of my head - cousin sister). Otherwise, the book is simple and easy to follow. The layout and simple language would encourage more people to take up reading as a hobby again (hopefully!)
The stories could have been a bit longer. For example, the last story Blogosphere was really well written, especially because it is not too condensed or scrunched up. Short stories are tricky, but expanding them by a few paragraphs would have helped the buildup leading to the sudden and unexpected climaxes of the stories.
When I read Blogosphere, I was half hoping the author would add a more autobiographical touch to it, to spook his readers out even more! I was not entirely sure if that is what he had tried, but if yes, a bit of polishing would have convinced the reader and made him question if it is indeed true or not!
Waiting for Sriramana Muliya's next!
Note: This book was sent to me by the author, but a review was not requested. I am reviewing it here as I review most of the other books that I read. This review is not influenced by the author or anyone else in any manner.
https://rainandabook.wordpress.com/2014/11/09/frankly-spooking-by-sriramana-muliya/
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March 22, 2014I must first confess a little bias - I have known the author virtually for around a decade now, as Phatichar, his blogger handle.
He has tried at least two kinds of fiction genres here - sketch stories (or perhaps flash fiction) and short stories. The first kind does away with any setting or build up - they are just scenes or slices which begin and end abruptly. That's not a problem, it's the way it is supposed to work. :) The last five stories could be categorised as short stories - lengthier, with more complex plots and a more concrete narrative flow.
There are mainly three things I like about this book. The first is the simplicity of the language. I'm not sure if it's a conscious effort or just a natural way of writing, but irrespective of that, it works very well. A big word or a complex sentence could have easily spoiled the gripping narratives. The second is the imagination - the sheer scale of scenarios, names, occupations, characters and their descriptions is admirable. Depending on your 'palate', you might consider some spooky, some scary and some as just a good story. That leads me to the last point - the structure of the book.
I started reading and after a few stories, felt mildly disappointed at the spookiness levels, also because I knew this guy could 'chill' more if he wanted to. As I read more, I realised there was a pattern to this - to use Sri's own morbid style - the 'boiling frog' anecdote. He manages to increase the spookiness to eeriness to scariness without really altering the flow of stories. I'd think this requires extremely smart thinking, and imagination!
In the first kind of stories, my favourite would be 'Friends Forever', 'Soul Stirring', 'A Wall of Silence.. No More?" and "The Real Thief". But what I really loved were the short stories, especially the last 'meta' one - Blogosphere.
A fantastic effort, and I hope he uses his imagination to explore other genres as well! :)
He has tried at least two kinds of fiction genres here - sketch stories (or perhaps flash fiction) and short stories. The first kind does away with any setting or build up - they are just scenes or slices which begin and end abruptly. That's not a problem, it's the way it is supposed to work. :) The last five stories could be categorised as short stories - lengthier, with more complex plots and a more concrete narrative flow.
There are mainly three things I like about this book. The first is the simplicity of the language. I'm not sure if it's a conscious effort or just a natural way of writing, but irrespective of that, it works very well. A big word or a complex sentence could have easily spoiled the gripping narratives. The second is the imagination - the sheer scale of scenarios, names, occupations, characters and their descriptions is admirable. Depending on your 'palate', you might consider some spooky, some scary and some as just a good story. That leads me to the last point - the structure of the book.
I started reading and after a few stories, felt mildly disappointed at the spookiness levels, also because I knew this guy could 'chill' more if he wanted to. As I read more, I realised there was a pattern to this - to use Sri's own morbid style - the 'boiling frog' anecdote. He manages to increase the spookiness to eeriness to scariness without really altering the flow of stories. I'd think this requires extremely smart thinking, and imagination!
In the first kind of stories, my favourite would be 'Friends Forever', 'Soul Stirring', 'A Wall of Silence.. No More?" and "The Real Thief". But what I really loved were the short stories, especially the last 'meta' one - Blogosphere.
A fantastic effort, and I hope he uses his imagination to explore other genres as well! :)
November 14, 2013
The first thing I assumed when I received the kindle version of the book from the author for review was that it is a Novel. As the name suggests Frankly Spooking is anything but Romantic Novel and as most of my bloggers already know I am a Romantic person and even though I have attempted writing in different genres, I do my best in Romance. Also, I like to read more of Romantic novels than any other genre. So, I was not sure whether I really wanted to read this one. But once I started reading, I was glad I decided to read it. I read the first short story as first chapter of the Novel and after reading the next story I realized it is a collection of short “spooking” stories!
To begin with – the cover design is good. It does remind one of “The Ring” (ref. fly), the cover is simple and enough for loud and clear message for the reader to know what the book is about.
Read full review at
http://www.artihonrao.net/2013/11/rev...
To begin with – the cover design is good. It does remind one of “The Ring” (ref. fly), the cover is simple and enough for loud and clear message for the reader to know what the book is about.
Read full review at
http://www.artihonrao.net/2013/11/rev...
May 24, 2015
The book was a light read and gave the feeling which it was supposed to offer, frankly spooking. The good part is, now I have a few stories in my mind which I can tell my friends during a "Let's discuss paranormal things" night. Few stories had a real good plot but I could guess the end halfway through the story, and few of them were totally unexpected. The last story "Blogosphere" was most interesting in my opinion and it wrapped up the book pretty well. Overall, a good amusing read.
May 27, 2015
Is there someone under my bed? oh wait! did someone just switch on the lights outside?
I will have to watch an episode of Tom and Jerry before I even think of sleeping.
I will have to watch an episode of Tom and Jerry before I even think of sleeping.
September 4, 2013
This is the most difficult book I have set myself the task to review, which surprises me actually. Why can't I review it like the other books I have read? The reason, I believe, is because "Frankly Spooking" by Sriramana Muliya is a unique book written in a style which is not the usual, template style typically found among ghost stories. The author writes in a manner which can be loosely described as sketch stories. According to Wikipedia - "A Sketch Story is a piece of writing that is generally shorter than a short story, and contains, very little, if any, plot. It may focus on individual moments, leaving the reader to imagine for themselves the events that led to this occasion and to wonder what events will follow.” Literary critics could argue against this, and say these stories are flash fiction ... basically a complete story plotted with the usual conflict-buildup-resolution pattern BUT word length <1000 words. Whatever be the monikers we use to label the stories in this book, the end result is definitely commendable. They are spooky and leave the reader with a "oh shit" feeling when the last line is read.
If I were to pick one thing which impressed me the most, it would be the author's creativity. These 30 odd stories are a masterpiece of unbridled imagination. As a story teller myself, my constant struggle has always been in finding that next creepy 'concept' or 'theme' to develop into a story. It is not easy and I wish if the author could lend some creativity to me:-)
"Candy Uncle", "Dada's House", "Thus Far.." and "Inked" are some stories which I liked. However "Blogosphere" is my favorite of all, the only story which made me feel scared. Which brings me to the important point of spook vs scare. As the title correctly conveys, these stories will spook you but almost never scare you. The effect of the spook lasts for a few secs (for inveterate horror freaks like me) or few minutes (for occasional readers) or a few hours (for first time reader). None of the story is nightmarish or macabre, the kind which gives you sleepless nights or makes your innards crunch. Since the stories are sketch shorties, to the point, without dreary settings and atmosphere build ups, they don't tend to develop for long.
I would look forward to Sriramana's next book, which I believe, could be from a different genre! The man is incredibly talented. Read "Frankly Spooking" to know what I mean.
Disclaimer: I have a innate positive bias towards all works by Indian authors in the horror/supernatural genre, so if any book has been written well, gets a default threshold rating of 4... just for the effort.
If I were to pick one thing which impressed me the most, it would be the author's creativity. These 30 odd stories are a masterpiece of unbridled imagination. As a story teller myself, my constant struggle has always been in finding that next creepy 'concept' or 'theme' to develop into a story. It is not easy and I wish if the author could lend some creativity to me:-)
"Candy Uncle", "Dada's House", "Thus Far.." and "Inked" are some stories which I liked. However "Blogosphere" is my favorite of all, the only story which made me feel scared. Which brings me to the important point of spook vs scare. As the title correctly conveys, these stories will spook you but almost never scare you. The effect of the spook lasts for a few secs (for inveterate horror freaks like me) or few minutes (for occasional readers) or a few hours (for first time reader). None of the story is nightmarish or macabre, the kind which gives you sleepless nights or makes your innards crunch. Since the stories are sketch shorties, to the point, without dreary settings and atmosphere build ups, they don't tend to develop for long.
I would look forward to Sriramana's next book, which I believe, could be from a different genre! The man is incredibly talented. Read "Frankly Spooking" to know what I mean.
Disclaimer: I have a innate positive bias towards all works by Indian authors in the horror/supernatural genre, so if any book has been written well, gets a default threshold rating of 4... just for the effort.
September 23, 2013
Hey, this is a really cool book. good literature doesn't have to be miserable to be considered great! Ramana has written a book that I have thoroughly enjoyed! The man's mind is fertile, evil and we need to watch out for him. My only complaint is that it is only 192 pages! I bet he has many more tales. The style is fluid and easy and not pretentious in the least. Discard those sorry "elegantly written deep insights into the human condition" books and read stuff that will keep you engaged and scare the daylights out of you - and acknowledge that this is what is meant as good reading!!!! Congrats Ramana and my best wishes for many more horrifying tales. Unsure if I will live to read them! hahaha!
September 4, 2013
Its a collection of short stories. Beautifully written. You'll need at least a 15 minutes break after reading every story because once you start with the chapter and by the end of it you just go oh! What was that. You might read some stories twice just to realize that the protagonist sometimes itself is a spirit which you realize once the chapter ends. Spooky indeed. A good read for people who like reading this kind of stuff.
Someday I'll learn to write two page reviews so till them you'll have to adjust.'
Someday I'll learn to write two page reviews so till them you'll have to adjust.'
September 14, 2013
Its very different from the usual books you read. Each story is intriguing and will leave you wanting for more. You want to know what happens next and by the time you you are waiting for the big surprise, it ends leaving your mouth wide open. Surely manages to send chills down the spine not once but multiple times. A must read.
May 17, 2020
This book has it all. A bit of gore, a bit of slash, and a lot of mystery. A number of small spooky stories, and then, two long stories. Most of them make you do a double-take.
June 12, 2018
I'm one of those person who rarely gets spooked by anything and few stories in the book made a real good effort for the same.
As always, there were highs and lows in between, but overall, if you're looking for something really fun and lightly spooking, this book is a must read.
A well deserved 4 star.
As always, there were highs and lows in between, but overall, if you're looking for something really fun and lightly spooking, this book is a must read.
A well deserved 4 star.
December 24, 2013
I owe Sriramana a big apology for taking so long to read and review his book. This is the only problem with Kindle books. It takes me ages to pick it up. For some reason, I still pick up a proper book if I have the option of it, rather than an e-book. SIgh. But, better late than never, I guess.
An unsettling collection of tales that will draw out the fears that lie hidden in the deepest, darkest recesses of your mind. You encounter the dead in places you would never expect: the corridors of a swanky office, a busy shopping mall, a quiet classroom or may be knocking at your door.
That pretty much sums up the book. A collection of short tales, each set in the most everyday of settings, into which the author manages to add a spooky element which had my all spooked out. Every single time. Be it regular house hunting, or even a moisturizer or earphones that you might use, I promise you, you would never look at them in the same way again. Short stories that will give you the chills. Alone at home, with my daughter fast asleep, it had me cuddling up to a sleeping child to read this. So spooked out, was I! Every little noise around the house had me jumping out of my skin while I read it. The last story in the collection was well, particularly interesting, in its setting. I can’t go into too much detail about it, but will say, ‘Do read it’.
What I loved was that the stories were short, and the author left them at the right place, for us to figure out stuff, the unsaid sometimes over-powering the said. Perfectly planned short stories which hit exactly where it should, leaving the reader completely spooked and yet gasping for more. Some of them felt ever-so-slightly repetitive but were still very readable and enjoyable. What I liked even more was that I haven’t read this genre of books in a while. The last I read was Poe, a long, long time back. And for a genre that I don’t read much, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’ve recommended to one person, I know, loves this genre – my husband, he is sure to love this one.
A great read, one of a genre I don’t normally read, but loved! If you like horror as a genre, you should go for it. Actually, even if you don’t like horror, give it a try, I would say, you might still enjoy it.
I would rate it a 4/5. Great concept, well-edited short stories, which end at exactly the right place. A page turner.
An unsettling collection of tales that will draw out the fears that lie hidden in the deepest, darkest recesses of your mind. You encounter the dead in places you would never expect: the corridors of a swanky office, a busy shopping mall, a quiet classroom or may be knocking at your door.
That pretty much sums up the book. A collection of short tales, each set in the most everyday of settings, into which the author manages to add a spooky element which had my all spooked out. Every single time. Be it regular house hunting, or even a moisturizer or earphones that you might use, I promise you, you would never look at them in the same way again. Short stories that will give you the chills. Alone at home, with my daughter fast asleep, it had me cuddling up to a sleeping child to read this. So spooked out, was I! Every little noise around the house had me jumping out of my skin while I read it. The last story in the collection was well, particularly interesting, in its setting. I can’t go into too much detail about it, but will say, ‘Do read it’.
What I loved was that the stories were short, and the author left them at the right place, for us to figure out stuff, the unsaid sometimes over-powering the said. Perfectly planned short stories which hit exactly where it should, leaving the reader completely spooked and yet gasping for more. Some of them felt ever-so-slightly repetitive but were still very readable and enjoyable. What I liked even more was that I haven’t read this genre of books in a while. The last I read was Poe, a long, long time back. And for a genre that I don’t read much, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’ve recommended to one person, I know, loves this genre – my husband, he is sure to love this one.
A great read, one of a genre I don’t normally read, but loved! If you like horror as a genre, you should go for it. Actually, even if you don’t like horror, give it a try, I would say, you might still enjoy it.
I would rate it a 4/5. Great concept, well-edited short stories, which end at exactly the right place. A page turner.
March 6, 2017
As the title suggests these are spooky tales which will freak you out. The twist or shock comes at the end of each story with many of these being slightly longer than a full page length.
Kudos to the author’s imagination. While I found many stories to be sub par (no offence meant, I couldn’t think of a better word), there are quite a few which you will end up appreciating. Personally I liked the last story “Blogosphere” the best of the lot.
Will be definitely looking forward to the author's further works.
Kudos to the author’s imagination. While I found many stories to be sub par (no offence meant, I couldn’t think of a better word), there are quite a few which you will end up appreciating. Personally I liked the last story “Blogosphere” the best of the lot.
Will be definitely looking forward to the author's further works.
July 25, 2024
Frankly Spooking is a collection of short horror stories by Indian writer, Sriramana Muliya. Most of them are very short, only about 2-5 pages in length, with the exception of a few longer entries toward the end of the book. The stories range from spine chilling (“Director’s Cut,” “Sleeping Over It...”) to moving (“Thus Far,” “Soul Stirring”), and there’s something for fans of all types of horror. I look forward to reading more of Muliya’s work.
July 29, 2016
It's a collection of 30 spooky tales. Stories are gripping, believable and unpredictable. Writing style is interesting. Totally enjoyed reading this! I think it's a must read for those who like reading horror/paranormal fiction!
Read the full review on my blog: http://tarangsinha.blogspot.in/2014/0...
Read the full review on my blog: http://tarangsinha.blogspot.in/2014/0...
April 2, 2015
A fast read for horror aficionados - short, creepy stories. The best of the bunch is 'Sleeping Over It' - mostly because the idea of eldritch abominations silently grinning at their victims freaks the ever-loving f*ck out of me. I also really liked 'The Last Stop'. A good way to pass the time on a gloomy, rainy day!
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January 8, 2015Good read.. light horror...:) Sriramana is a great writer.. knowing him as a person... it is interesting how a person given to hilarity can come up with horror :) Great job Sriramana.
April 7, 2017
Nothing like a good short spooky story - most of the stories in this book are really spooky and best part is that all (except the last 2) are very short reads.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews