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Death & Red Trilliums: Haliburton - Book 1
Cory Thomas has never fit in. He quietly works on his art, and goes through the motions of his job. He tolerates his small town life, but dreams of more. He's never been on a date, he's never had a first kiss, and he's never had a boyfriend.
When the world comes crashing down, and undead ravage society, he will be tested in ways he never could have imagined. Cory finds an unexpected ally in Jake Tannery, a single father and his former high school bully.
As they navigate the dangers of the undead and struggle to survive, Cory and Jake discover a bond that transcends their past. Together, they confront their deepest fears and heal their scars, finding solace and strength in each other.
But in a world where death lurks around every corner, can love truly conquer all?
When the world comes crashing down, and undead ravage society, he will be tested in ways he never could have imagined. Cory finds an unexpected ally in Jake Tannery, a single father and his former high school bully.
As they navigate the dangers of the undead and struggle to survive, Cory and Jake discover a bond that transcends their past. Together, they confront their deepest fears and heal their scars, finding solace and strength in each other.
But in a world where death lurks around every corner, can love truly conquer all?
302 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 30, 2024
11 people are currently reading
448 people want to read
About the author
R.C. Hannah
2 books7 followersR.C. Hannah is a Canadian author whose journey has been shaped by the intersections of identity, experience, and storytelling. Growing up gay in a small town in Northern Ontario that felt like a world unto itself, R.C. found solace and inspiration in the pages of books, but also recognized the absence of voices like their own in the stories being told.
Driven by a desire to fill this void, R.C. embarked on a mission to carve out a space for their voice within the realm of literature. Drawing from their own experiences and the lives of those around them, R.C. weaves narratives that reflect the complexities of human existence, from the mundane to the extraordinary.
Inspired by authors such as TJ Klune, whose work has help to pave the way for queer voices in literature, R.C. seeks to contribute to the rich tapestry of diverse stories, offering perspectives that challenge norms and celebrate the beauty of difference. With a deep-seated belief in the power of storytelling to bridge divides and foster empathy, R.C. writes with a passion to illuminate the hidden corners of human experience and give voice to the silenced.
When not immersed in the world of writing, R.C. can be found indulging in a good book, wasting time gaming, or talking shit with loved ones. As an animal lover and proud cat dad, R.C. finds joy in the company of his furry companions and is also a dedicated pigeon hobbyist.
A self-professed serial escapist, R.C. delights in getting lost in the worlds provided by books and video games, finding solace and inspiration in the realms of imagination. With a keen eye for humor and a firm belief that laughter is the strongest medicine on earth, R.C. infuses their writing with wit, charm, and a touch of irreverence, inviting readers to find joy in the absurdities of life and the quirks of human nature.
Through their writing, R.C. invites readers to journey with them into worlds both familiar and fantastical, where the echoes of their own experiences resonate and the promise of hope shines bright.
Driven by a desire to fill this void, R.C. embarked on a mission to carve out a space for their voice within the realm of literature. Drawing from their own experiences and the lives of those around them, R.C. weaves narratives that reflect the complexities of human existence, from the mundane to the extraordinary.
Inspired by authors such as TJ Klune, whose work has help to pave the way for queer voices in literature, R.C. seeks to contribute to the rich tapestry of diverse stories, offering perspectives that challenge norms and celebrate the beauty of difference. With a deep-seated belief in the power of storytelling to bridge divides and foster empathy, R.C. writes with a passion to illuminate the hidden corners of human experience and give voice to the silenced.
When not immersed in the world of writing, R.C. can be found indulging in a good book, wasting time gaming, or talking shit with loved ones. As an animal lover and proud cat dad, R.C. finds joy in the company of his furry companions and is also a dedicated pigeon hobbyist.
A self-professed serial escapist, R.C. delights in getting lost in the worlds provided by books and video games, finding solace and inspiration in the realms of imagination. With a keen eye for humor and a firm belief that laughter is the strongest medicine on earth, R.C. infuses their writing with wit, charm, and a touch of irreverence, inviting readers to find joy in the absurdities of life and the quirks of human nature.
Through their writing, R.C. invites readers to journey with them into worlds both familiar and fantastical, where the echoes of their own experiences resonate and the promise of hope shines bright.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 18, 2025
Character- 2/5
Plot- 1.5/5
Pacing- 1/5
Entertainment- 2/5
Rating- 1.75/5
Firstly, I'm aware that this is the author's debut novel, and I in no way want to discourage him from writing, because I can see the potential in his writing and in his ideas. But this book just has too many glaring issues for me gloss over.
Lets start with character, particularly Cory, who is introduced as being this sassy, mentally tough and unapologetic gay man with a little bit of attitude. I was so excited to see how his personality fits in this rather interesting genre, but this does not reflect in his behaviour throughout the story. Cory for most of this book is weak in his replies, and spends a great deal of his inner monologue philosophising and spouting wisdom for no ones benefit but his own.
And that highlights a writing issue for me, wherein the author will spend a lot of time, paragraph after paragraph, giving exposition about a characters personality, history, motivations and attitude. There is a whole lot of 'telling' and not 'showing'. And follow this up with the characters then not behaving in the way they're so vividly described, and I start to notice there is an issue.
The plot is somewhat lost in the sauce. What I'm expecting is a lot of action and high stakes situations that drive these two opposing characters, Cory and Jake, together in an effort to survive. The issue being that, despite Cory's insistence on his doom and gloom outlook on the situation (which he voices insistently) there isn't much of a threat in this book for the majority of it, nothing feels urgent because nothing of danger is actually happening most of the time. And the opposition between Jake and Cory simply doesn't exist. There's nothing to overcome despite Cory 'saying' there is. Their actions and shared vulnerability very early on completely contradict this.
And this leads to the biggest issue with these characters, which is that nothing is truly being developed over time. There doesn't seem to be any flaws to overcome, and so nothing is built up as needing to be overcome. So we get moments where there is supposed to be some form of catharsis, for example, Jake coming out. Its written as this shocking empowering moment for his character. But its never set up, his sexuality isn't even discussed before this point, and so the big moment of 'WOW' falls flat because we had no idea this was even an issue he was trying to overcome.
The pacing is....well.
The pacing is bad, like really bad. This is one of the first times were I thought I wasn't going to finish a book I swore to review. The first 70% of this book is spent doing practically nothing. All we get is scene after scene of pointless dialogue, a lot of inner monologing from Cory, talking about how the world is ending and everything has become terrible, as he sits in his warm apartment filled with food, running water and electricity. There is no meaningful conflicts for him to overcome, and every character speaks with the same sage wisdom that quickly grates on the nerves. The last 30% of this book is great, we finally get to see and deal directly with the main external threat, and its only then that you begin to root for both main characters. But we're at the end of the book, we have ran out of time to explore them properly.
This young author needs a guiding hand from an editor that knows what they're doing. So much of what I found to be an issue in this book, should have been spotted and flagged by an editor. There's even full grammatically incorrect sentences and spelling mistakes littered throughout the book. The first half of this book needs taken to with a red sharpie, reviewed and returned to the author so they can construct something that accurately depicts their vision of their story.
Directly to the author- you have massive potential, I can see the vision you're going for and the ideas you've come up with are really engaging. I don't usually do reviews in such detail, but its only because I know you can do better than this, and if anything in here gives you a better clue into how to improve your writing skills, then I'll have done my job. I commend you on getting your first published works out there, its not easy, and is an achievement in itself regardless of my criticisms. I am confident that as you write more and gain further skills that the tone of my reviews will be a lot different from this one. I will be looking forward to reading your next book, and hope in that time you've found someone who can edit your book with the care and constructive criticism that all great authors rely upon.
Plot- 1.5/5
Pacing- 1/5
Entertainment- 2/5
Rating- 1.75/5
Firstly, I'm aware that this is the author's debut novel, and I in no way want to discourage him from writing, because I can see the potential in his writing and in his ideas. But this book just has too many glaring issues for me gloss over.
Lets start with character, particularly Cory, who is introduced as being this sassy, mentally tough and unapologetic gay man with a little bit of attitude. I was so excited to see how his personality fits in this rather interesting genre, but this does not reflect in his behaviour throughout the story. Cory for most of this book is weak in his replies, and spends a great deal of his inner monologue philosophising and spouting wisdom for no ones benefit but his own.
And that highlights a writing issue for me, wherein the author will spend a lot of time, paragraph after paragraph, giving exposition about a characters personality, history, motivations and attitude. There is a whole lot of 'telling' and not 'showing'. And follow this up with the characters then not behaving in the way they're so vividly described, and I start to notice there is an issue.
The plot is somewhat lost in the sauce. What I'm expecting is a lot of action and high stakes situations that drive these two opposing characters, Cory and Jake, together in an effort to survive. The issue being that, despite Cory's insistence on his doom and gloom outlook on the situation (which he voices insistently) there isn't much of a threat in this book for the majority of it, nothing feels urgent because nothing of danger is actually happening most of the time. And the opposition between Jake and Cory simply doesn't exist. There's nothing to overcome despite Cory 'saying' there is. Their actions and shared vulnerability very early on completely contradict this.
And this leads to the biggest issue with these characters, which is that nothing is truly being developed over time. There doesn't seem to be any flaws to overcome, and so nothing is built up as needing to be overcome. So we get moments where there is supposed to be some form of catharsis, for example, Jake coming out. Its written as this shocking empowering moment for his character. But its never set up, his sexuality isn't even discussed before this point, and so the big moment of 'WOW' falls flat because we had no idea this was even an issue he was trying to overcome.
The pacing is....well.
The pacing is bad, like really bad. This is one of the first times were I thought I wasn't going to finish a book I swore to review. The first 70% of this book is spent doing practically nothing. All we get is scene after scene of pointless dialogue, a lot of inner monologing from Cory, talking about how the world is ending and everything has become terrible, as he sits in his warm apartment filled with food, running water and electricity. There is no meaningful conflicts for him to overcome, and every character speaks with the same sage wisdom that quickly grates on the nerves. The last 30% of this book is great, we finally get to see and deal directly with the main external threat, and its only then that you begin to root for both main characters. But we're at the end of the book, we have ran out of time to explore them properly.
This young author needs a guiding hand from an editor that knows what they're doing. So much of what I found to be an issue in this book, should have been spotted and flagged by an editor. There's even full grammatically incorrect sentences and spelling mistakes littered throughout the book. The first half of this book needs taken to with a red sharpie, reviewed and returned to the author so they can construct something that accurately depicts their vision of their story.
Directly to the author- you have massive potential, I can see the vision you're going for and the ideas you've come up with are really engaging. I don't usually do reviews in such detail, but its only because I know you can do better than this, and if anything in here gives you a better clue into how to improve your writing skills, then I'll have done my job. I commend you on getting your first published works out there, its not easy, and is an achievement in itself regardless of my criticisms. I am confident that as you write more and gain further skills that the tone of my reviews will be a lot different from this one. I will be looking forward to reading your next book, and hope in that time you've found someone who can edit your book with the care and constructive criticism that all great authors rely upon.
July 20, 2024
Death and Red trilliums by R.C Hannah
This book was so cool and interesting. This book follows Cory who lives in a small town as an artist. The world crashes down and the ravage society takes over. Cory find himself becoming allies with Jake Tannery who is a single father (loveee that trope)/ his former high school bully. As they navigate this new scary world they become way closer and connected. The book began slow but it was also understandable because it gave setting to the story. The action picked up pace with the undead society. You could feel the tension and connection between Cory and Jake which I ate up. Cory is so me if an apocalypse were to happen i’d be freaking out lol. There’s was also a murder mystery subplot which I enjoyed, there were so many elements and tropes I loved it.
Elements and tropes:
- single dad
- Gay romance
- High school bully
- Forced proximity
- Undead society/ apocalypse/ dystopian
“This novel is more than just a story - it’s a love letter to the resilience of the human spirit, a testament to the power of love to transcend even the darkest of times. It’s a reminder that in a world are the guiding lights that lead us through the darkness.”
-R.C Hannah
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was so cool and interesting. This book follows Cory who lives in a small town as an artist. The world crashes down and the ravage society takes over. Cory find himself becoming allies with Jake Tannery who is a single father (loveee that trope)/ his former high school bully. As they navigate this new scary world they become way closer and connected. The book began slow but it was also understandable because it gave setting to the story. The action picked up pace with the undead society. You could feel the tension and connection between Cory and Jake which I ate up. Cory is so me if an apocalypse were to happen i’d be freaking out lol. There’s was also a murder mystery subplot which I enjoyed, there were so many elements and tropes I loved it.
Elements and tropes:
- single dad
- Gay romance
- High school bully
- Forced proximity
- Undead society/ apocalypse/ dystopian
“This novel is more than just a story - it’s a love letter to the resilience of the human spirit, a testament to the power of love to transcend even the darkest of times. It’s a reminder that in a world are the guiding lights that lead us through the darkness.”
-R.C Hannah
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 31, 2024
I loved this book.
Never a dull moment and the characters always kept you guessing.
Garlic Steve and Abbey will have my heart forever.
Never a dull moment and the characters always kept you guessing.
Garlic Steve and Abbey will have my heart forever.
August 13, 2024
I really liked this book. It was engaging and evolving. It was funny and didn't let me stop until I finished it.
Cory always felt like the outsider but when things hit the fan, he was there for the town, for the people he loved. The way he moved from the past, that was something that I don't think I could do, he's stronger than me for that.
Jake was a diferent man, a changed man. He liked Cory and was about time he showed it so he did. I loved him, he didn't shy away from his feelings, he liked Cory and it was simple as that.
Loved them together and would read more with them easily.
The only problem is the book had too many errors in grammar and stuff. It was strange.
I have to admit, I was not expecting the killer to ve who it was, that took me by surprise
Cory always felt like the outsider but when things hit the fan, he was there for the town, for the people he loved. The way he moved from the past, that was something that I don't think I could do, he's stronger than me for that.
Jake was a diferent man, a changed man. He liked Cory and was about time he showed it so he did. I loved him, he didn't shy away from his feelings, he liked Cory and it was simple as that.
Loved them together and would read more with them easily.
The only problem is the book had too many errors in grammar and stuff. It was strange.
I have to admit, I was not expecting the killer to ve who it was, that took me by surprise
October 20, 2024
I had the chance to meet the author of this book at an event in August and I was intrigued at his story, and how this book came to be. Intrigued enough to purchase a copy!
Not my usual reading by any means, but I'm glad I gave it a chance.
The characters were believable, the plot was good, and it was a nice sci-fi thriller grounded in reality. It starts slow, but as the plot is about how someone would experience the end of the world without being able to see it happen, it makes sense. Stick with it.
The pacing also allows the central characters to form separate from the plot itself, and I found it really gave them depth. The dialogue was well written, and the characters have nuanced flaws that aren't just there to serve a purpose in the plot.
This is a debut novel so it is not without it's flaws. A few minor typos here and there, which I can look past for a new indie author.
This novel is for anyone who enjoys seeing a diversified take on queer romance. There were no damsels in need of rescue, or knights swooping in to save the day. The main romantic pairing are individuals with their own set of skills and are fully capable of standing on their own two feet. As an older gay man, this was super refreshing to read.
Not my usual reading by any means, but I'm glad I gave it a chance.
The characters were believable, the plot was good, and it was a nice sci-fi thriller grounded in reality. It starts slow, but as the plot is about how someone would experience the end of the world without being able to see it happen, it makes sense. Stick with it.
The pacing also allows the central characters to form separate from the plot itself, and I found it really gave them depth. The dialogue was well written, and the characters have nuanced flaws that aren't just there to serve a purpose in the plot.
This is a debut novel so it is not without it's flaws. A few minor typos here and there, which I can look past for a new indie author.
This novel is for anyone who enjoys seeing a diversified take on queer romance. There were no damsels in need of rescue, or knights swooping in to save the day. The main romantic pairing are individuals with their own set of skills and are fully capable of standing on their own two feet. As an older gay man, this was super refreshing to read.
June 5, 2024
I never leave a Review, but this time I’m going to do it just to give the author some hope. It is not a good book. It’s slow, it lacks action and tension, it’s overloaded with poetry and omnipotent phrases. It seems that the author wants each sentence to mean something more and be deeper than it should be and that makes the book extremely slow.
Despite all this, it’s a good topic and the author took a different angle that could be interesting.
I write this because I hope that the author in the next books will take themselft and the books less seriously and with that they achieved the fluidity that is missing here
I read 50%
2.5 Stars
Despite all this, it’s a good topic and the author took a different angle that could be interesting.
I write this because I hope that the author in the next books will take themselft and the books less seriously and with that they achieved the fluidity that is missing here
I read 50%
2.5 Stars
November 27, 2024
OKAY this book was such a roller coaster (but a peaceful one at that). the details were descriptive. reading this gave me a homesick feeling, prbly because it featured small town guys (one of them was a single dad). really liked it and def recommended. even tho it has zombies and a nice apocalyptic world where this homely town is trying to find normalcy, it gave off a mental peace vibe and was a little poetic (i loved that). GO READ IT .
Also check out the website it was GUD, and R.C. Hannah was very sweet :)
Also check out the website it was GUD, and R.C. Hannah was very sweet :)
April 2, 2025
I don’t even know where to begin. This book touched home, every character feeling like someone you know & every place feeling like somewhere you’ve been. The suspense, the romance, the thrill reading this book left me wanting to know what was going to happen next. I loved the way the characters developed over the course of the book. The love between Cory and Jake was amazing even if they didn’t see it right away, it was there all along. I was not expecting there to be a murderer on top of the god damn apocalypse, that threw me and on top of it who it was, but I can’t say I was surprised by that. Amazing book, I cannot wait to see what happens next.
June 7, 2024
When dealing with the end of the world you either grow up or lose your mind. Both happen in this story. One young man faces his personal identity and the causes of this bully nature, changes his ways, and asks for forgiveness and a new beginning. One man puts the past aside, finds a way to forgive, and forges a new place among his community. And, one man loses his grip on sanity and goes on a face stabbing rampage. Choices people… make the right one!
June 5, 2024
Omg! I didn’t expect this mystery ending. It was so perfect. Love it!
July 10, 2024
I can strangely relate to this small town, the descriptions of it are amazing. Love the story of unexpected love and survival! Hope the author writes more soon
November 3, 2024
Edited on 11/2/2024
*i really appreciated how this book was not sex driven. There's chemistry between the characters without that. It's a relief to read queer fiction that's not super smutty.
This is an author with a lot of potential. If the proper editor picked them up, they will go far.
There are plenty of spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, and cringey flowery language.
Please don't let that deter you. This story is so fun and was an absolute pleasure to read. I'm excited to see how the author grows for Book Two.
*i really appreciated how this book was not sex driven. There's chemistry between the characters without that. It's a relief to read queer fiction that's not super smutty.
This is an author with a lot of potential. If the proper editor picked them up, they will go far.
There are plenty of spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, and cringey flowery language.
Please don't let that deter you. This story is so fun and was an absolute pleasure to read. I'm excited to see how the author grows for Book Two.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews