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An Odder Quintet
An Odder Quintet explores a world of dark and strange happenings. From new technology to ancient legends, nothing is quite what it seems.
Prisons without Walls
A prisoner serving a life sentence takes part in an experimental programme that manipulates the perception of time to rehabilitate prisoners and ensure they never reoffend.
The Tapestry
Legend speaks of a Great Loom, operated by three women who guide the fate of every living person. The secret kept for thousands of years has now been found by someone with his own designs for it.
Ghost in the Cloud
Everyone knows not to click on links in strange emails, but what do you do when the link comes from your dead husband?
In the Depths
This story continues from ‘Forced Entry’ in ‘An Odd Quartet’.
Bravo Team took part in a hostage rescue mission in what they thought was a normal suburban house, now trapped in the basement they try to find a way out and only discover only more insanity.
Not Welcome at the Gate
This story continues from ‘The Reluctant Demon’ in ‘An Odd Quartet’.
Morlock failed his possession exam in the most spectacular way possible, now ninety years later he faces returning to Hell.
Prisons without Walls
A prisoner serving a life sentence takes part in an experimental programme that manipulates the perception of time to rehabilitate prisoners and ensure they never reoffend.
The Tapestry
Legend speaks of a Great Loom, operated by three women who guide the fate of every living person. The secret kept for thousands of years has now been found by someone with his own designs for it.
Ghost in the Cloud
Everyone knows not to click on links in strange emails, but what do you do when the link comes from your dead husband?
In the Depths
This story continues from ‘Forced Entry’ in ‘An Odd Quartet’.
Bravo Team took part in a hostage rescue mission in what they thought was a normal suburban house, now trapped in the basement they try to find a way out and only discover only more insanity.
Not Welcome at the Gate
This story continues from ‘The Reluctant Demon’ in ‘An Odd Quartet’.
Morlock failed his possession exam in the most spectacular way possible, now ninety years later he faces returning to Hell.
- GenresShort StoriesHorror
70 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 23, 2013
18 people want to read
About the author
Michael Brookes
15 books211 followersMichael Brookes is a Game Consultant with Frontier Foundry so rather than making games he now helps publish other people's games. He is also a volunteer and committee member with the German Shepherd Dog Welfare Fund assisting mostly with their online activities. And because he decided that he isn't busy enough has various other projects on the go including a website attempting to chronicle the history of his local village and using AI art tools to illustrate a new edition of John Milton's Paradise Lost.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 11, 2013
I loved this collection of short stories. It was very well done and very original. I am going to be reading more books from Michael Brookes!
The first story, Prison Without Walls, was my favorite. It was about a man is in jail for a murder and while he is in jail, he decides that he is really a murderer! It was not a one time deal. So based on his personal and medical information, the jail sets him up with a program, run by a doctor, that is very hush hush. If Mr. Williams (our murderer) agrees to take part in a series of tests, he could get early parole almost definitely. So we follow the bits and pieces of information about the tests that Dr. Marsh gives Mr. Wiliams and try to figure out what is going on, what the purpose of the tests are for. And we do find out. And it is incredible. But the best part about this story is the ending. The story itself was amazing, but the ending was TOTALLY unexpected and a great choice.
The second story. The Tapestry, is a bit of a fantasy piece. The basis of the story is that there are three woman, sisters, called The Guardians, that work on a loom or as it is known The Great Loom, which is the whole of humanity and their preset destiny. All of the strings on the loom represent every living person. The different threads get made, inter-connected, and sniped. One day The Watcher comes to visit, based upon some information he found in a box about The Loom from his father, grandfather, etc. This information sends him in search of The Guardians. The Guardians have worked diligently to protect their secret over many, many years. I cannot say to much without adding a spoiler which I do not like doing, but the Watcher, in his search for knowledge, gets the surprise of his life!
The third story, Ghost in the Cloud, just has to be read. It is really creepy and will leave you wondering what happened?! And why?
The fourth story, In The Depths, was also a very creepy story. A horror/mystery. The way it was written, as a communication between four men, was very effective in making it very tense and urgent. These four men appear to be in the military and are on a mission. The story starts out with them trying to leave the place they are at, but they cannot, but not for lack of trying. Through very effective story telling by way of making this a four-way connection over what is probably walkie-talkies, just adds to the suspense and chills. The men need to get out of where they are and Sarge is doing his best he can to adapt to the situation at hand and lead his men out of the place they are in. The ending is so crazy and makes you want more. A sequel at least!
And the fifth and final story is called Not Welcome at the Gate. What do you do if you are an recently exorcised demon and not allowed into Heaven - or Hell? You leave leave Heaven so that you go to Hell, where you are familiar with, and Hell kicks you back to Heaven! St. Peter wants to bring you in but a rather large angel name Uriel will not allow it. He believes you are not worthy and will stop at nothing to keep you from entering Heaven. So how do you, or can you, outsmart an angel?
Again, a fantastic collection of short stories that you will not be sorry you read.
The first story, Prison Without Walls, was my favorite. It was about a man is in jail for a murder and while he is in jail, he decides that he is really a murderer! It was not a one time deal. So based on his personal and medical information, the jail sets him up with a program, run by a doctor, that is very hush hush. If Mr. Williams (our murderer) agrees to take part in a series of tests, he could get early parole almost definitely. So we follow the bits and pieces of information about the tests that Dr. Marsh gives Mr. Wiliams and try to figure out what is going on, what the purpose of the tests are for. And we do find out. And it is incredible. But the best part about this story is the ending. The story itself was amazing, but the ending was TOTALLY unexpected and a great choice.
The second story. The Tapestry, is a bit of a fantasy piece. The basis of the story is that there are three woman, sisters, called The Guardians, that work on a loom or as it is known The Great Loom, which is the whole of humanity and their preset destiny. All of the strings on the loom represent every living person. The different threads get made, inter-connected, and sniped. One day The Watcher comes to visit, based upon some information he found in a box about The Loom from his father, grandfather, etc. This information sends him in search of The Guardians. The Guardians have worked diligently to protect their secret over many, many years. I cannot say to much without adding a spoiler which I do not like doing, but the Watcher, in his search for knowledge, gets the surprise of his life!
The third story, Ghost in the Cloud, just has to be read. It is really creepy and will leave you wondering what happened?! And why?
The fourth story, In The Depths, was also a very creepy story. A horror/mystery. The way it was written, as a communication between four men, was very effective in making it very tense and urgent. These four men appear to be in the military and are on a mission. The story starts out with them trying to leave the place they are at, but they cannot, but not for lack of trying. Through very effective story telling by way of making this a four-way connection over what is probably walkie-talkies, just adds to the suspense and chills. The men need to get out of where they are and Sarge is doing his best he can to adapt to the situation at hand and lead his men out of the place they are in. The ending is so crazy and makes you want more. A sequel at least!
And the fifth and final story is called Not Welcome at the Gate. What do you do if you are an recently exorcised demon and not allowed into Heaven - or Hell? You leave leave Heaven so that you go to Hell, where you are familiar with, and Hell kicks you back to Heaven! St. Peter wants to bring you in but a rather large angel name Uriel will not allow it. He believes you are not worthy and will stop at nothing to keep you from entering Heaven. So how do you, or can you, outsmart an angel?
Again, a fantastic collection of short stories that you will not be sorry you read.
February 16, 2015
This is an excellent collection of stories. There was not one I didn't enjoy, although my favourite was In the Depths which is written in the same style as Forced Entry from An Odd Quartet. I actually enjoyed this one more than the first story. All of the collection are different and I think that shows how versatile the author is.
If you enjoy Twilight Zone tales with a creepy edge then this is for you.
If you enjoy Twilight Zone tales with a creepy edge then this is for you.
December 1, 2013
This collection of five bizarre tales from Michael Brookes strikes me as an even stronger collection of tales than 'An Odd Quartet'. The author excels in imaginative writing that deals with the intangible. His stories often handle the supernatural and the interface between life and death, yet the urgent and compelling nature of the writing makes it seem real enough.
I enjoyed all five stories, none of which led to where I expected. Quite often the good and the bad are blurred so you never quite know what will happen and who will come out on top. Occasionally an ending didn't satisfy as much as I'd have liked, although this may just be me wanting more of a story I'd been enjoying. You don't have to have read the previous collection (An Odd Quartet) but it does help to give a bit of background to the final two stories which follow on.
The author's writing is always readable and gripping and I could happily read more of these unusual short stories. They don't take terribly long to read, but you will come away feeling as though you've been transported to a different world. Creepy, menacing and deliciously dark.
I enjoyed all five stories, none of which led to where I expected. Quite often the good and the bad are blurred so you never quite know what will happen and who will come out on top. Occasionally an ending didn't satisfy as much as I'd have liked, although this may just be me wanting more of a story I'd been enjoying. You don't have to have read the previous collection (An Odd Quartet) but it does help to give a bit of background to the final two stories which follow on.
The author's writing is always readable and gripping and I could happily read more of these unusual short stories. They don't take terribly long to read, but you will come away feeling as though you've been transported to a different world. Creepy, menacing and deliciously dark.
September 1, 2013
This was a fine series of odd quintets, each having a beautiful premise. They are varied, for one thing - ranging from mythology as in the Three Sisters to a battle-field to Demons and Computers and Convicts. Every story is very different in terms of plot.
I personally loved the last story - it was warm, extremely well-crafted and precise.
Two of the stories had quite simple endings, but they were eerily enjoyable, while the other two had obscure, enigmatic ends - I enjoy stories more when they have concrete ends that are unpredictable - it is what I loved about the last story as well as about Faust 2.0.
The stories were short, crisp, having an odd, eerie feel of mystery blended with the gothic, and quite enjoyable. I'm glad I bought it!
I personally loved the last story - it was warm, extremely well-crafted and precise.
Two of the stories had quite simple endings, but they were eerily enjoyable, while the other two had obscure, enigmatic ends - I enjoy stories more when they have concrete ends that are unpredictable - it is what I loved about the last story as well as about Faust 2.0.
The stories were short, crisp, having an odd, eerie feel of mystery blended with the gothic, and quite enjoyable. I'm glad I bought it!
September 3, 2013
This group of five stories is sure to enhance Michael Brookes' reputation as a short story teller. I found them all intriguing concepts. The author has an interesting mind! In the first story, a convicted murderer is offered the opportunity to take part in an experiment in which time passes very differently for him. There's a story about the Fates, or Norns, who have always interested me. A dead man is apparently able to email his grieving wife. The story I got least from, thought I think that's down to my own interests rather than the skill of the storyteller, was the fourth, involving the group of soldiers. My favourite was the last. I'd love to have gone into that more deeply. I feel it is a story with immense potential.
I really enjoy the author's imagination and love his full length novels. Nevertheless, I hope he will continue to write these gripping short stories.
I really enjoy the author's imagination and love his full length novels. Nevertheless, I hope he will continue to write these gripping short stories.
October 21, 2013
Sometimes it is fun to just pick up a few short stories to enjoy rather than dive into the depths of longer novels. Michael Brookes' collection is a sort-of continuation to his previous short story collection, as two of the short stories included continue the stories from the previous work. All of the stories are very different from each other and offer a refreshing selection of what I call 'weird tales'. I especially liked 'Not Welcome at the Gate', which allowed us to see what happened to Morlock the Demon after he had been trapped inside a human body.
September 28, 2013
Fantastic!! I liked the fact that a couple of the stories from An Odd Quartet were continued in this set of stories. Michael Brookes has a great talent of writing stories that make you think "what if".
Download them. You won't regret it.
Download them. You won't regret it.
October 10, 2013
This was a creative, interesting book of short stories, Prison without walls would have to be my favorite. Michael Brookes is a new author who I will definitely read again, someone who I would recommend for anyone who likes short stories, or would like to read something different.
November 13, 2013
An interesting read of five short stories. Each story is independent of the others. Check it out.
January 2, 2014
I found all of the stories in this collection to be average or below average.
"Prisons Without Walls" had an interesting premise but just petered out at the end. The ending of "Tapestry" was evident from the very beginning. "Ghost in the Cloud" was the strongest story, but I found it ultimately unsatisfying.
I was most disappointed in the last two stories, "In the Depths" and "Not Welcome at the Gate"; I found the former incomprehensible and the latter to be far longer than its premise could support. I subsequently discovered from the Goodreads synopsis that these two stories were continuations of stories published in Michael Brookes's previous collection, An Odd Quartet; had I known that earlier, I would have read that book first, and the "follow-up" stories might have been stronger in context. However, I believe that the stories in a single-author anthology should be able to stand alone, so that a reader picking up the volume does not need the background provided in an earlier story in another book in order to understand what's happening. I have no quarrel with an author using the same characters or situations in several stories and believe that, quite often, such layering provides more enjoyment for those readers who are familiar with more than one of the stories; in this case, however, rather than increasing my understanding of Bravo Team and Morlock, the follow-up stories just left me frustrated.
I received a free copy of An Odder Quintet from the author in exchange for an honest review.
"Prisons Without Walls" had an interesting premise but just petered out at the end. The ending of "Tapestry" was evident from the very beginning. "Ghost in the Cloud" was the strongest story, but I found it ultimately unsatisfying.
I was most disappointed in the last two stories, "In the Depths" and "Not Welcome at the Gate"; I found the former incomprehensible and the latter to be far longer than its premise could support. I subsequently discovered from the Goodreads synopsis that these two stories were continuations of stories published in Michael Brookes's previous collection, An Odd Quartet; had I known that earlier, I would have read that book first, and the "follow-up" stories might have been stronger in context. However, I believe that the stories in a single-author anthology should be able to stand alone, so that a reader picking up the volume does not need the background provided in an earlier story in another book in order to understand what's happening. I have no quarrel with an author using the same characters or situations in several stories and believe that, quite often, such layering provides more enjoyment for those readers who are familiar with more than one of the stories; in this case, however, rather than increasing my understanding of Bravo Team and Morlock, the follow-up stories just left me frustrated.
I received a free copy of An Odder Quintet from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews