The Town That Cried Werewolf: Second Edition

by Danny Dantas

A full moon forever changed the small town of Eldenwood; something had come with it. The first victim was claimed on that summer night of 1986. But that was just the beginning. Whatever the moon brought, its presence continued to haunt the town, turning its once peaceful atmosphere into a nightmare where no one was safe.




Author's This is the Second Edition! While the story itself remains unchanged, I've taken the opportunity to correct numerous grammar mistakes and improve the overall structure. Your feedback greatly appreciated.

Genres: Werewolves, Horror

140 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 1, 2023

Reviews

[Cadie · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author isn't an experienced writer, but I still chose to give this story a shot. It's lacking in details for both the characters and the environment.

It really started off as if a child wrote this. There's almost no indication where the characters ARE in the introduction. It's a bunch of cuts to each character group - the main ones and the ones that die - with just conversations and almost no action done between the characters. It felt very robotic, especially with the number of times a character DOESN'T use a contraction in a sentence. Not many people actually talk like, "It does not," versus, "It doesn't." I didn't think it would be so obvious because I had never thought about it before - most stories use contractions like normal people do. But because this felt so edited by Word (and Word tries to force/autocorrect the "does not" versus "doesn't"), every contraction was spelled out, and it made everything feel forced and robotic - there was no fluid conversation between the characters. It didn't feel like real human speech at times.

Other than that, the overall story was fine. The lack of description in the environment and where the character was got better the further the story went - which was weird and almost felt the second edition only had the last half edited more. I still ran into grammar issues in the first half. I think it was trying too hard to be a short story and chose to cut out the missing details that could have made this story better. Less isn't always more - especially when it's just characters having dull conversation in a seemingly white empty space of an environment. Again, it got better as it went, but there's still plenty to be fixed on this story. It was very easy not to feel immersed at times, so I wasn't even trying to figure out who the werewolf was at times, and I think that alone is where the story lost me.

[Leon Scheppink · Rating 3 out of 5]

At the start of the book, the author explains he isn't a professional writer, but only a werewolf fan. Even then, the book is still worth a read. It's a fairly quick read, but you can tell the author is a talented storyteller, professional or not. The plot itself was rather enjoyable. For a moment, I had a nagging suspicion it was quite along the line of a certain 1980s werewolf movie, but fortunately, that wasn't the case. Besides being short, which isn't a bad thing per se, the story does feel rushed and as such, it remains somewhat shallow, just like the characters. But those are aspects that will certainly evolve with time; the talent is defenitely there. I hope the author continues writing, whether it's in a professional capacity or not.

[Paul Pope · Rating 1 out of 5]

This author has some good ideas, but he states right up front that he is not an experienced writer. I hope he sticks with it because there is a nugget of a series here.

The lack of experience is evident in the lack of character development, dialogue, plot lines, and back-story. An editor would help with grammar and punctuation as well.

It’s a novice piece that reflects the innocence of expertise. While I do encourage the author to credit a 3rd edition, I cannot recommend this book to others.

[constance coleman-loach · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Good Read

This was a good read. The characters were believable and the story kept you in suspense. Looking forward to another book like this.

[Erica Hazelton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short book quick read. A werewolf book with no spice which can be hard to find. Unfortunately this book didn’t really capture me it waits too long to introduce its characters and if you are a fan of the genre you will likely find this to be pretty predictable

[Rhea · Rating 2 out of 5]

2/5 stars
Violence Rating: 1/5 - Warning Growl

Story and characters wise, this is missing a lot. Perhaps because there's not much narration and just a lot of dialogue between so many characters that one is prone to lose interest in them. And I'm a great fan of dialogue, if done engaging and in a way that substitutes the narration by driving the story forward by itself.

The plot is simple. The werewolf kills people and the people try to escape him while nobody listens. The usual horror trope. There's no in-depth description of characters' lives, or development for that matter.

It was a rather strange read in the sense that it felt more like a movie script, like a collection of short snippets of action scenes and dialogues from a huge book/movie. Obviously there’s no connection between these kills, nor a point to this story, this is just a mindless killing spree of a werewolf (at least until it turns personal for the werewolf, which I'll explain further below why it felt inconsistent).

Speaking of carnage, the attacks and the depicted violent scenes are lacking precisely what most werewolf lovers expect from these: gory, vividly described scenes. Considering this was a wild beast wrecking havoc in a town, seemingly driven by a savage instinct, I expected to see a lot of gruesome and feral attacks. Unfortunately this is more like PG13 action. If I’d use a reference or scale from 1 to 5 in terms of detailed violent werewolves' attacks, books like Feral, High Moor or Breeds would be a solid 5, whereas this book would be 1. If more details would’ve been added here, surely the simplistic plot would’ve felt a bit more natural due to the brutality.

People die every month and the town folks move on as if nothing happened as if that occurrence is just a normal part of their life now. It takes a while until they are truly bothered and mournful, more precisely when a family is torn apart and a friend dies.

Now to return to the inconsistency of the beast's savagery, what broke the whole nonsensical series of deaths (which would’ve been fine on its own if the beast was just that, a mindless beast) was the fact that the werewolf clearly retained his consciousness during his wolf form. When he was a human, he swore to go after those who were onto him and when he turned into a werewolf he did, clearly still aware of his goals. Therefore, all of this wasn't just a mindless beast operating on instinct even though that's how he was depicted for a long while.

The identity of the werewolf was easy to guess as soon as the story turned to his POV.

The ending was nice.

[Kerri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really looking forward to reading this but unfortunately it was lacking.

The story could have been interesting but the delivery let it down quite a bit. The start of the book is very messy, it's mostly all dialogue between a lot of different characters some of whom die pretty quick deaths. It reads like a film script rather than a short story. There are a lot of grammatical errors and pretty much no scene or atmosphere building and no character development. The scenes where the werewolf attacked people were very disappointing, almost as if the author was afraid to really get into anything too descriptive.

The second part of the story did improve a bit but by this stage I still didn't care about any of the characters and was just trying to get to the bit with the werewolf transformation and the big finale. Both of which ended as quickly as they started.

I appreciate what the author is trying to do and I think fair play to him for getting his ideas out there. But I feel that the story needed less characters just put there to be killed by the werewolf, less pointless dialogue and more scene building and descriptions to create the suspense that was needed. Flesh out the main characters, give the readers someone to care about enough to want to follow their journey to the end. And spend some more time with the werewolf. Describe him, describe the violence, spend more time with his transformation, delve into his human side a bit, who he is, how did he became a werewolf and don't forget the gore. ;)

[Miguel Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent storyline.

Pros:
1. The second edition's book cover is fantastic. The black, hairy werewolf in the center, roaring against the red backdrop, is attention-grabbing, and I've wanted to read this book for a while because of it.
2. The story revolves around a town, creating a range of suspects. The storyline is outstanding.
3. I enjoyed how Danny Dantas kept me guessing who the killer was until the end. This added to the suspense and gave me time to figure out whodunit. After figuring out who the killer was before they were revealed, I felt I had accomplished something spectacular.
4. I enjoyed this novella's blend of horror, mystery, thrill, and suspense.
5. The epilogue was a pleasant touch.
6. The alternating POVs increased my reading engagement.
7. I would re-read this story.

Cons:
1. The Town That Cried Werewolf would benefit from improved character development.
2. I noticed two errors while reading this novella (one of them was capitalization).
3. Profanity and blaspheming.

I recommend The Town That Cried Werewolf to mystery and horror lovers. Danny Danta's debut is marvelous, and I would read more of his stories.

[Ben Wise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't often write reviews, but I felt compelled to share my thoughts after reading this remarkable debut novel. For a first-time author, this book is an absolute triumph! The story is captivating, keeping me hooked from the first page to the last, always eager to see what would happen next.

This book is a perfect fit for fans of werewolves and horror. The narrative is skillfully crafted, with a layout and buildup that are simply flawless. Each twist and turn is meticulously planned, maintaining a sense of suspense and excitement throughout. The characters are well-developed, and the world-building is immersive, drawing you deeper into the story with every chapter.

If you're looking for an engaging and thrilling read, this book is an ideal choice. The author's ability to create such an enthralling tale in their first attempt is truly impressive. Don't miss out on this exceptional horror novel – it's a must-read for any fan of the genre!

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been contemplating how I want to write this review for a few days now. I wanted to take into account that Danny (the author) is a newer writer and obviously won't have access to massive editors/publishers like the bigger, more well-known writers would have. with that being said, the storyline was there. It had heaps of potential! I know in time this author will be great, I felt the suspense. I just wish there was a bit more character and world building. Instead, it was quite chop and change, I loved the chapters with the Werewolf and felt scared sometimes! especially in the end, William, Dina, and Williams son (sorry, his name leaves my mind!) were waiting for the Werewolf to attack their house, where he was in the shadows! gave me chills, I was scared!

With all that being said, the book has potential, and I really appreciate that Danny has made the effort to re-edit it and release a second edition with those improvements. Keep it up. You have the vision and the potential!

[Rachael Lang · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am giving this 3 stars for exactly what it is. It’s not meant to be knock your socks off best book of the year. It’s pretty much a novella. The author even states he’s a werewolf fan, not a long time author of experience. For what it is, I like it. This is good for a young reader too that struggles with or gets intimidated by big books with big words. This is a simple book that could be read by any YA and be enjoyable. So kudos! It’s good to be a critic and give good feedback, it’s another to trash someone for trying. Way to go Danny Dantas!

[Karen Conner · Rating 2 out of 5]

Poorly written

Agree with a previous reviewer who said this reads like it was written by a third grader. Although I would say more like high school. Terrible writing, Terrible Grammer. Stilted characters. Two major characters described as "teens" acted much more like 12 year olds. Plot taken right out of Silver Bullet. I really like werewolves and wanted to love this but can't. Two stars for a good hearted college try. Try again. Pay for the amazon editor next time.

[Dena Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome horror

You know this was a good I love wearable stories this was a good story in the beginning of thought it was the teacher come to find out it was the sheriff doing all the killing he became a wolf it's crazy thank goodness Thomas figging out before it was too late his dad was bit by it but at least he knows what he has to do he knows he has to put his dad train them up in the basement but at least he's okay

[Jason Cross · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lacking

This story, though entertaining, is severely lacking on a lot of elements to make this a gold story. The characters are completely dull because there is no development and there was no build up and, therefore, no suspense. Good for a quick read but without these elements, the story falls flat and is not very interesting

[Terry Roy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good quick read with an evil werewolf vs. the modern women's fantasy ones.

Interesting format. Quick read but good old school werewolf. Think Silver Bullet by King with much less backstory. Still pretty good.

[Steve Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic!

Old fashioned who done it in a great werewolf tale! Read it in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed it. Keep up the good work Danny! (I'll definitely be watching)

[Michael Whaley · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF

[Zemyah Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was alright. But a lot of things could have stayed out, and the story would have been fine.

[Zachary Sterling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short an sweet

[Jan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Terrible dialogue, and absolutely nothing original about the story. Best thing about the book is it was a quick read.