Recessive Nature

by Brandon Perras-Sanchez

NATURE IS RED IN TOOTH & CLAW! The year is 1985. Two cousins from a lineage of cryptid trophy hunters embark on a dangerous journey to track down the creature associated with the disappearance of their fathers. As they and their crew trek deeper into their expedition, they soon discover that not all traditions are worth passing down.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories

150 pages, Paperback

Published September 7, 2024

About the author

Brandon Perras-Sanchez is a queer Cuban, writer, musician, filmmaker and actor who is inspired by 80s horror, folklore, mythology, metal and noise rock. He grew up in the woods of Vermont but now resides in Providence, RI. He is currently working on future horror projects such as the full length film Queen of the Rats and a fourth book timreH ehT which will be released next spring.

Brandon is part of the production company Monster Makeup who brought you the gory, campy, Drag Queen cult classic Death Drop Gorgeous, the nightmarish folk horror Saint Drogo.

Stay tuned for updates for these projects along with a few more surprises in the works.

Respect all animals and don't be an asshole.

Reviews

[Kelsey Noah · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Supernatural’ meets ‘Sweet Tooth’ plus a lot more gore in this horror novella about two cousins who come from a family of cryptid hunters.

Joseph and Coles’ fathers go missing after a cyptid hunt, and the two men are determined to kill the monster that did it; the jersey devil. Cole’s girlfriend and sister demand to come along on the hunt so the four of them head out to the deep woods of south jersey. They soon stumble upon a woman named Deborah and her strange children. They seem kind enough but something seems… off.

I am in awe of this story. I have never read anything like it and I dont tend to be a creature feature lover. These creatures remind me exactly of the animal children from Sweet Tooth yet sinister. The two men are very much remnant of the Winchester boys from Supernatural (except no one will ever beat Sam and Dean) but wayyyy more self absorbed. My favorite character by far was the sister, Christy. She was level-headed and had a strong sense of empathy along with an understanding that the two men could never possess.

"How many more lives are you going to sacrifice on the altar of your ego?"

Brandon’s storytelling is extremely vivid, and I was fully transported into the woods exploring this strange cottage. This is my second book that I have read of his and this is by far my favorite.

This was a surprising 5 stars but i’m not mad about it!

[Bo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Legacy hunters step into the Appalachian woods to bring back the head of the Jersey Devil in honor of their fathers. What follows is a brutal trek into shadows that feel alive, forests that breathe down your neck, and cryptids described with gory imagination. The action is fierce, the characters feel raw and human, and the ending hits like a bloody hammer. A feral, fast-paced creature feature that fans of folklore horror will love

[Anny Wilkes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great read. Any true cryptid fan will love this journey. Though a fast paced story of revenge, there are tender scenes and characters. One of my favorites of the year!

[Tyler Baird · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it loved it loved it. Something totally different than I thought it was going to be but so was the white bishop I love when the story goes different than anticipated it keeps you constantly guessing. Please read if you haven’t.

[Nik Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't tend to read monster or creature horror. However, this was a fantastic book! Absolutly loved this!

[Iva IRL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect cryptid horror

Chefs kiss. Brandon’s groundwork for every character enthralled me to see how their fates will play out. A shorter read, but it was never ever dull. I couldn’t wait for this book to come out after meeting BPS at a horror convention, his vibe just seemed up my alley. And I was not wrong! Can’t wait for the next release, holy sh!t, the imagery was amazing and I’m truly bummed I finished it so fast.

[Olen 😻 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*


The WAY this man described the beefcake & other men in this book kinda came out of nowhere & was SUCH a pleasant surprise😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨

This started off with the right kind of tension (IYKYK) - gore was absolutely brutal without being overdone - hellllllla creepy cryptid(s) 👀👀
- characters were written well
- had a nice paced build & oh boy when shit hit the fan was it baaaaaad

[Phrique · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes following traditions will have you meeting your ancestors quicker than you thought. Perras-Sanchez is definitely my new go-to author for mind movies. This distinct style of writing is so close to a screenplay, he lays the groundwork for you to actually sit back and watch it all play out in your head while you read. I’ve been waiting on his latest since I first heard of it & now that I was able to finally experience it: it’s one I won’t soon forget.

Quick synopsis:
A mythical cryptid took the lives of their fathers, so now two cousins have taken on the task of hunting it down to exact some monstrous vengeance. So they gather their crew, their tools of the trade, and a tempting trail guide to make it happen. However, once they get to the wrong neck of the woods, the story goes from a game of cat and mouse to a twisted fairy tale with an ending straight from Grimm himself.

So I went into this thinking I knew the story but I was wayyyy off. That’s ok tho, I was invested from the first chapter. The mood switch mid-story caught me off guard but I was pleasantly surprised how Brandon was able to pull it all together and amp up the sinister as we go. I can’t get into it too much without giving too much away. I will say that the story itself had a lot of Blair Witch, Ghostbusters, and Supernatural vibes to it. The ability of the author to tell a vivid story with such intense imagery definitely made it in a league of its own. The amount of heart and meaning injected into the characters and what they were going through were also greatly appreciated. will say I do not typically read horror stories that dabble in fantasy, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself with this. So maybe Perras-Sanchez changed my mind? Definitely pick this up, as well as White Bishop if you would like to see the range the author has to offer. It will make you excited to see what he comes up with next!

[Christine HorrorReaderWeekend · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprising indie horror novel!

In the beginning, this novel feels like a “high-fiving bros and their hot chicks making bad choices in violent situations” sort of predictable throwaway horror.

But, oh no. This book turns around and terrifies you as the heroes become monsters and the monsters become heroes as the characters find themselves in a very different place.

Clever, empathetic, funny, introspective, gory and very scary, this was a very good read.

[Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

All I knew going into this book was that the plot involved cryptids. I was expecting the typical creature feature sort of story, you know, monsters, murder, mayhem. While I wasn't wrong there is plenty of the murder, monsters and mayhem this story strays from the typical tropes and is so much more than "just a creature feature."

Some things I liked:
-Great characters and character development.
- The Jersey Devil- I've never read anything about this particular cryptid before and now I'm dying to know more.
- Pumpkins!
- Woodsy setting- always always a favorite of mine
- Perfect fall horror vibes
- Body horror- seriously icky in the best way.
- The ending

Usually I list off a few things that I didn't like about a book here, and honestly, there's nothing I can think of. I genuinely enjoyed this read and look forward to checking out more by this author.

[DA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every once in a while you read a book that takes your breath away. Recessive Nature is one of those books for me. Easily this is a top 5 read of the year for me. This isn't your typical cryptid story, it's so much more, so much deeper than just monsters and the people who hunt them.
As I sit here crying because it has a bittersweet ending, I wish I could read it again for the first time.

[Milt Theo · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded to 4. I progressively got very strong "Supernatural" vibes from this, and thought it'd be similar to an episode of the TV series, only about cousins instead of brothers and cryptids instead of demons. Boy, was I wrong! Although the writing is kept pretty simple, by the middlepoint the plot builds on this simplicity to tell a moving and riveting story of male toxicity and female marginalization - but with cryptids, from the Jersey Devil to arachnid-human hybrids and deer-eyed, antler-bearing Siamese twins! It was amazing to see the author pull this through with such mere means, in straightforward style, and with tight action scenes easily visualizable despite the various weird cryptids runiing all over the place. Recommended!

[Kait Wolfe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun but not polished

I really enjoyed this book and it’s a quick read. It does read with an amateur writing style that is not super polished. Nevertheless a fun read about cryptids for the fall!

[Ryleigh Bunch · Rating 3 out of 5]

i love horror, i love cryptids, i love brandon perras-sanchez

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars ⭐️ Super cool plot and cast of characters. At times very creepy and gross. Loved it! Would have loved an epilogue.

[Kiki Marie Bookish Wh0r3 · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading BPS's White Bishop, I was in need of more from him! When he announced Recessive Nature i was elated to get more writing from him. And if I am being perfectly honest............ it did not disappoint one bit!

This fantasy extreme horror story has a very strong plot following two cousins who were raised and trained to be cryptid hunters. When their fathers disappear on a hunt it leaves one of their older sisters to finish raising the boys. They find their father's journal that says what the last hunting trip was meant to be which sends them all and Cole's girlfriend, Katrina, on a trip to avenge their father's assumed deaths.

This journey brings them in the presence of a unique family and things get wild wild wild lol

Thank you Brandon for sending me your amazing word baby! I loved every word on every page and enjoyed the journey and even the disappointment of the boys and their fury. I look forward to every thing you have to put out into the world!

[MaryKate Ganza · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think ultimately this book just was not my cup of tea. I was expecting more horror, but I felt it read more like dark fantasy, which isn’t really my thing. It was a fun concept and the first like 40% really hooked me, but it started losing me around the halfway point.

I also felt like all of the female characters were either ditzy OR maternal. No other options. If you blinked, you would miss this book passing the Bechdel test. As a horror reader AND feminist killjoy, I can sometimes look the other way on poorly written female characters as long as they aren’t outright misogynistic. BUT the story has to be gripping enough to convince me to do that, and this one just fell flat for me.

Also I just could not stand Cole, he’s one of the most unlikable protagonists I’ve ever read.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, gory ride. I really enjoyed the cryptid creatures! This book was fast-paced and full of goofy dialog and whimsical imagery.
It reads like a screenplay, which really allows you to be in the moment and feel and see what the characters are feeling and seeing. I love when books have an overall 'meaning' or 'lesson', and this book definitely made me think about humans and their impact on animals, especially endangered species. I'm not sure if that was intended, but I really appreciated it none the less. Thanks, Brandon! Super fun read start to finish.

[Rich Sanford · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a quick setup it was a fast and wild ride through a land of increasingly fantastic creatures until it reached a brutal ending followed by an unexpected postscript. Totally worth the read. And a fine reminder that if you see monsters all around you, perhaps you are the monster.

[Shaun Filion · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first half of the book had some great character development and backstory to it. The number of twists and turns in the second half of this book were absolutely bonkers!
This is the Second Story by Mr. Perras-Sanchez that I've read, and I'll definitely be eagerly picking up each of his books going forward.

[Terrah Card · Rating 4 out of 5]

JUSTICE FOR TONY
Brandon is a horror film writer, so this book I can envision as a film. I can picture the details of events happening. Cabins, a scene involving a Well in particular stands out.
The gore of one of the characters suffering a hand injury and another with a loose jaw made me excited while reading. Brandon loves his gore! It doesn’t take long for things to happen.

Pretty much halfway through it picks up with the cryptids and I think if someone were curious about the idea of cryptids then this is a good introduction into the sub genre. It has a little bit of fantasy world building to it that I feel could stand more as a fantasy book with horror elements. It’s a quick read. I pretty much read it in a day. It held my attention, and gave me horror monsters that I’ve been craving in a very long time despite the ‘psychological horror’ driven book era we are in.

I would have loved if the story had first person perspective chapters interchanging between Cole and Christy with the third person chapters so we could further grasp their relationship together since they are siblings. I feel like their bond was something I’d like to further understand more than Joseph and Cole. I think seeing Joseph’s in Cole’s perspective vs seeing Joseph in Christy’s perspective would be very polar opposites and a good addition.

If one thing I would have liked to see more was more of Tony. I wanted to know more about his journey in that forest and his relationship with Joseph more if there needed to be one. If there had to be another first person perspective it would be Joseph’s after Christy and Cole’s. Tony was mysterious and seeing his story unfold more would be interesting.

[Jon Huff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cryptid hunters Joe and Cole go on the hunt for revenge, and find something stranger than they imagined. I really enjoyed the way this story progressed. I loved what the hunters find in the woods, as it wasn't at all what I expected. It's all very visual. It's written in present tense and sometimes reads like a fleshed-out script, which I think might irritate some, but I think in a short novella it worked well enough.

[Jessica McDonough · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not sure when this book started if I was going to be interested. it starts like one of those cheesy '80s horror films, but then it develops into this beautiful story of family and what matters in life and found family and it wound up being extremely tense and interesting. and I've never read anything quite like this and I just thoroughly recommend

[Sophie Feline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice read about the supernatural, cryptids and, weirdly enough, family.

I enjoyed the setting and how the descriptions of nature and the surroundings set an eerie atmosphere to the whole story. I also really liked the general plot and it could’ve really pulled me in, weren’t it for the main characters.

I understand they are not necessarily meant to be likeable but the conversations in this book and the interactions between the characters felt really over the top and comically. While their choices are definitely debatable, the writing style the author chose to portray the hunters and their companions really pulled me out of the story and made everything seem so unserious that it made me constantly bothered by the badly written dialogue.

Also, why does every cryptid have like 5 more superpowers? And why did no one care about what happened to Tony? And how are the cousins considered great hunters when everything they do in this book makes me question their abilities?

Anyway, it is still a fun read if you enjoy cryptid horror, gore and adventure.

[Brooklyn Attic Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes! This was a solid read! Devoured it in 1 day. Only giving a 4, not a 5 because the first half of this book had insufferable characters!! I didn't like the "main" characters. They're not likeable right off the bat. And we spend almost too much time with them before anything interesting happens. But that's personal opinion. Then we pass the halfway point in the book, and it truly changes tones. I like the 2nd half of the book IMMENSELY.

What a super original story idea! I love it! Didn't think I'd like a book about the Jersey Devil lore.

Recommend to: Everyone, this was a fun read. I also thought the characters in The Ruins by Scott Smith were insufferable, and that book has stayed rent free in my head.

[Emily Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

I met Brandon at the Spooktastic Bookfair in September and bought the super cool special edition of Recessive Nature. I’m kicking myself for not reading this sooner!!! I loved this. So much. This went in a completely different direction than I was expecting. It made me start to root for the “bad guys” by the end. The descriptions and vivid imagery of the forest, cottage and cryptids makes you feel like you’re watching a movie. This was such a unique story and premise. Highly recommend you check this out if you like cryptids mixed with fantasy/folklore and horror!

[Splatter Axe Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joseph and Cole are cousins, and the sons of men who hunt creatures you've only ever heard of in folklore. When they walk in their fathers' footsteps, we learn just how much their own humanity has fallen compared to their hosts in the Barrens. In a gruesome tale, these two cousins embark on a hunt for The Jersey Devil, in which we are introduced to a plethora of interesting characters, some of whom become collateral damage in their hunt for revenge and the ultimate trophy.

[Brendan Christ · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was really really REALLY good! The first few chapters had me thinking this was going to be a lighthearted romcom with monsters thrown in, but I couldn’t be more wrong. So many twists and turns filled the pages. The way Brandon describes certain characters and the environment was so vivid and he made me sympathetic towards both protagonists, antagonists and all in between.

[Wren Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so much fun. I need more stories about cryptids in my life, especially like this one where it was a wildly creative retelling of the story of the Jersey Devil. Revenge, gore, and even some incredibly tender moments amongst family. I absolutely loved this.

[Kelly Allen-Kujawski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book that had me guessing a lot. In some parts, you think you've hit the end or almost the end, but then there's a twist that has you going... wait... what!? It was pretty cool as the first read of 2025 for me.