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Untcigahunk: Stories and Myths of the Little Brothers
It's been five years since Kip Howard saw his mother killed horribly by a blur of "little brown things." Five years of struggling to overcome what must have been just his imagination. But the "untcigahunk" are no one's imagination. Hideous forest creatures who feed every five years on human flesh and now they are back. Only this time, there will be no escape for the young boy.
This collections contains the novel Little Brothers with six short stories and three “myths".
Dark Essentials Series: Volume 4, Book 2
This collections contains the novel Little Brothers with six short stories and three “myths".
Dark Essentials Series: Volume 4, Book 2
639 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1987
17 people are currently reading
110 people want to read
About the author
Rick Hautala
137 books125 followersAKA A.J. Matthews
Rick Hautala has more than thirty published books to his credit, including the million copy, international best-seller Nightstone, as well as Twilight Time, Little Brothers, Cold Whisper, Impulse, and The Wildman. He has also published four novels—The White Room, Looking Glass, Unbroken, and Follow—using the pseudonym A. J. Matthews. His more than sixty published short stories have appeared in national and international anthologies and magazines. His short story collection Bedbugs was selected as one of the best horror books of the year in 2003.
A novella titled Reunion was published by PS Publications in December, 2009; and Occasional Demons, a short story collection, is due in 2010 from CD Publications. He wrote the screenplays for several short films, including the multiple award-winning The Ugly Film, based on the short story by Ed Gorman, as well as Peekers, based on a short story by Kealan Patrick Burke, and Dead @ 17, based on the graphic novel by Josh Howard.
A graduate of the University of Maine in Orono with a Master of Art in English Literature (Renaissance and Medieval Literature), Hautala lives in southern Maine with author Holly Newstein. His three sons have all grown up and (mostly) moved out of the house. He served terms as Vice President and Trustee for the Horror Writers Association.
Sadly, Rick died on March 21, 2013.
Rick Hautala has more than thirty published books to his credit, including the million copy, international best-seller Nightstone, as well as Twilight Time, Little Brothers, Cold Whisper, Impulse, and The Wildman. He has also published four novels—The White Room, Looking Glass, Unbroken, and Follow—using the pseudonym A. J. Matthews. His more than sixty published short stories have appeared in national and international anthologies and magazines. His short story collection Bedbugs was selected as one of the best horror books of the year in 2003.
A novella titled Reunion was published by PS Publications in December, 2009; and Occasional Demons, a short story collection, is due in 2010 from CD Publications. He wrote the screenplays for several short films, including the multiple award-winning The Ugly Film, based on the short story by Ed Gorman, as well as Peekers, based on a short story by Kealan Patrick Burke, and Dead @ 17, based on the graphic novel by Josh Howard.
A graduate of the University of Maine in Orono with a Master of Art in English Literature (Renaissance and Medieval Literature), Hautala lives in southern Maine with author Holly Newstein. His three sons have all grown up and (mostly) moved out of the house. He served terms as Vice President and Trustee for the Horror Writers Association.
Sadly, Rick died on March 21, 2013.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
November 1, 2014
I originally read The Little Brothers years ago, when it was first published. I was immensely impressed by it then. I still am. A solid entry in the sub-genre of Native American Horror, the bonus stories raise this volume to a must have for any serious horror fan.
Rick Hautala was a master storyteller, who quietly produced some of the best horror fiction of his generation, and Untcigahunk is a shining example of his talents, both as a novelist and author of short stories.
Highly recommended.
Rick Hautala was a master storyteller, who quietly produced some of the best horror fiction of his generation, and Untcigahunk is a shining example of his talents, both as a novelist and author of short stories.
Highly recommended.
April 20, 2012
I always read these reviews before I buy a book so I discuss as little of the actual plot as possible. Some people put in more detail, but that is just my preference.
I really enjoyed this book for several reasons. I have two pet peeves with horror writers: (1) lack of characterization, and (2) a tacked on anticlimactic ending that lasts only about 10 pages and makes me want to throw the book across the room. UNTCIGAHUNK steers completely clear of these shortcomings.
First off, before I get started, UNTCIGAHUNK is actually a novel and a series of short stories all on the same subject----a very nasty breed of creatures based on ancient Micmac Indian legends. The novel is entitled The Little Brothers and tells the story of a family and their encounters with these awful little monsters. But rather than just unleash the creatures to tear up the scenery, Hautala takes his time. This is not some 200 page quick read that you finish in an afternoon. You can settle in and really get to know these characters (two teen-aged boys and their father---their mother was killed by the Untcigahunk five years before this story begins) and how the loss of their mother has damaged the family and their relationships with each other. The sibling rivalry is very believable as is the family dynamic as a whole. Of course that makes what happens all the more tense since you care about these people. It is also a coming of age story for the younger brother which I found to be very satisfying. Actually I thought several times while I was reading that I would have read the book even without the monsters because the story of the family and the other sub-plots, particularly that of a teen-aged psychopath that menaces the whole town, were that interesting by themselves. That being said, this is a story about the Untcigahunk, and they do not disappoint. They would rip apart pretty much any monster you might care to mention and they deliver the scares.
And there is a really big bonus in that you not only get The Little Brothers, but UNTCIGAHUNK also contains several Micmac indian legends about the Untcigahunk and a really good novella/short story collection (The Chrysalis) also. I was thinking as I read the additional materials that if I was recommending the book to a friend that I might suggest reading the Micmac legends first, then read The Little Brothers, then finish it off with The Chrysalis. Don't skip the Chrysalis stories---there are a few in there that pack a huge punch---especially the one about the birch whistle which was my personal favorite.
I really enjoyed this book for several reasons. I have two pet peeves with horror writers: (1) lack of characterization, and (2) a tacked on anticlimactic ending that lasts only about 10 pages and makes me want to throw the book across the room. UNTCIGAHUNK steers completely clear of these shortcomings.
First off, before I get started, UNTCIGAHUNK is actually a novel and a series of short stories all on the same subject----a very nasty breed of creatures based on ancient Micmac Indian legends. The novel is entitled The Little Brothers and tells the story of a family and their encounters with these awful little monsters. But rather than just unleash the creatures to tear up the scenery, Hautala takes his time. This is not some 200 page quick read that you finish in an afternoon. You can settle in and really get to know these characters (two teen-aged boys and their father---their mother was killed by the Untcigahunk five years before this story begins) and how the loss of their mother has damaged the family and their relationships with each other. The sibling rivalry is very believable as is the family dynamic as a whole. Of course that makes what happens all the more tense since you care about these people. It is also a coming of age story for the younger brother which I found to be very satisfying. Actually I thought several times while I was reading that I would have read the book even without the monsters because the story of the family and the other sub-plots, particularly that of a teen-aged psychopath that menaces the whole town, were that interesting by themselves. That being said, this is a story about the Untcigahunk, and they do not disappoint. They would rip apart pretty much any monster you might care to mention and they deliver the scares.
And there is a really big bonus in that you not only get The Little Brothers, but UNTCIGAHUNK also contains several Micmac indian legends about the Untcigahunk and a really good novella/short story collection (The Chrysalis) also. I was thinking as I read the additional materials that if I was recommending the book to a friend that I might suggest reading the Micmac legends first, then read The Little Brothers, then finish it off with The Chrysalis. Don't skip the Chrysalis stories---there are a few in there that pack a huge punch---especially the one about the birch whistle which was my personal favorite.
September 27, 2014
I first read Untcigahunk: Stories and Myths of the Little Brothers a few years ago, and recently picked it up for a good "Halloween" season book. I was surprised at how many of the stories felt "new" to me after only a few years!
These stories are ones that I will always remember Rick Hautala by. While I've read (and loved) quite a few novels/stories by him, the Untcigahunk legends stand out in my mind the most. Hautala has everything you could want in this collection: incredible storyline, creatures, characterization (and characters that you CARE about!), as well as sub-plots that have merit of their own.
A great read to help you get into that Autumn spirit, by an author that will not be forgotten.
Highly recommended!
These stories are ones that I will always remember Rick Hautala by. While I've read (and loved) quite a few novels/stories by him, the Untcigahunk legends stand out in my mind the most. Hautala has everything you could want in this collection: incredible storyline, creatures, characterization (and characters that you CARE about!), as well as sub-plots that have merit of their own.
A great read to help you get into that Autumn spirit, by an author that will not be forgotten.
Highly recommended!
March 30, 2013
Review of Untcigahunk: The Complete Little Brothers by Rick Hautala
5 stars
Reading this, my enjoyment was tempered by bittersweetness, since my first reading happened after the very untimely passing of accomplished author Rick Hautala. Just a few days before his death, I had read my first Hautala story, “Wildman,” and immediately determined to read his entire oeuvre, hoping of course that he would write for many more years to come. Then came the announcement of his passing, and the suggestion by Lou Pendergrast, moderator of the Goodreads Robert McCammon group, that members might read “Little Brothers” in memoriam, since Mr. Hautala had been a charter member of this group.
I’m so glad I finally read this; this particular volume incorporates the novel “Little Brothers,” along with several short stories themed around the “Untcighunk,” the Micmac Indian term for the Little Brothers of Native mythology and legend. I only wish I had read it years ago, and had been reading Mr. Hautala’s exquisite horror all along.
Five years ago Kip watched his mother die, torn to pieces by fast-moving brown creatures. Only seven then, he blocked the sight from memory. Now twelve, he learns, little by little, that the Untcigahunk, or Little Brothers, are on the move again. Like the Cicadas and Seven-Year Locusts, they have their own cycle, at five years duration. Kip’s dad Bill has determined to start again on building their new home outside of town (Thornton, Maine) at the site where his wife Lori died. Meanwhile, Kip suffers terribly at the hands of his older brother Marty (quite literally at his hands) and attorney Bill tries to be partial and objective—which doesn’t help Kip. He determines to run away for the summer; until he encounters a man who knows an awful lot about the Untcigahunk—the too often alcoholic Micmac, considered the town reprobate, John Watson.
5 stars
Reading this, my enjoyment was tempered by bittersweetness, since my first reading happened after the very untimely passing of accomplished author Rick Hautala. Just a few days before his death, I had read my first Hautala story, “Wildman,” and immediately determined to read his entire oeuvre, hoping of course that he would write for many more years to come. Then came the announcement of his passing, and the suggestion by Lou Pendergrast, moderator of the Goodreads Robert McCammon group, that members might read “Little Brothers” in memoriam, since Mr. Hautala had been a charter member of this group.
I’m so glad I finally read this; this particular volume incorporates the novel “Little Brothers,” along with several short stories themed around the “Untcighunk,” the Micmac Indian term for the Little Brothers of Native mythology and legend. I only wish I had read it years ago, and had been reading Mr. Hautala’s exquisite horror all along.
Five years ago Kip watched his mother die, torn to pieces by fast-moving brown creatures. Only seven then, he blocked the sight from memory. Now twelve, he learns, little by little, that the Untcigahunk, or Little Brothers, are on the move again. Like the Cicadas and Seven-Year Locusts, they have their own cycle, at five years duration. Kip’s dad Bill has determined to start again on building their new home outside of town (Thornton, Maine) at the site where his wife Lori died. Meanwhile, Kip suffers terribly at the hands of his older brother Marty (quite literally at his hands) and attorney Bill tries to be partial and objective—which doesn’t help Kip. He determines to run away for the summer; until he encounters a man who knows an awful lot about the Untcigahunk—the too often alcoholic Micmac, considered the town reprobate, John Watson.
July 29, 2016
I said I wasn't going to return to Rick Hautala, but I was weak, and I've heard a lot of good about Little Brothers, and I already had A Haunting of Horrors, of which Untcigahunk is a part. When it came time for me to pick another e-book to read, I caved and figured I would give him another shot. So, here we are.
The novel is about creatures that live underground and come out every five years to go on a killing spree, and the main character is a young boy who saw his mother killed by said creatures five years ago. It starts out with the boy in therapy, talking about his loss, coming to terms with it. Now, it's five years later, and he's the only one who has seen the creatures, and there's only one other person in the town knows what's going to happen.
The story starts out fairly well, starting off with character instead of setting. It's a bit clunky, since the characters have to go a long way toward explaining what's happened so far, so we get a lot of telling, but at least I felt like the characters were folks to care about. Hautala also goes into a lot of minute detail in his scenes, which draws them out. Here's an example:
I think it helps add to his atmosphere (it raises tension, especially when you know that something bad is going to happen), but I couldn't help but feel like a lot of the detail was unnecessary. He's already told us that the character has a peanut butter sandwich, and that he has a cup of water from a spring. Was it necessary to then go into that much detail about how he eats his lunch?
As a result, it takes a long time for the story to get going. The lead-up wasn't uninteresting, but it was long-winded, and didn't seem all that relevant. Once we get to the heart of the action, it wraps up pretty quickly, making me wonder what the point of the story was. Usually stories that take that long in the build-up wind up being character examinations, but the story doesn't work that way, either, since the characters are inconsistent. I think some of that is Hautala trying to do some character development over the course of the story, but it didn't convince me. The main character is a twelve-year-old boy who, around the halfway point of the novel, reveals that he's running away from home, and has been planning it for about a year. There's no indication in the story that he's been thinking about this until the day before, and there's nothing in the story to convince me that he would want to run away. It's like Hautala needed him to run away to make the next part of the story work, and dropped that plot point in without giving us the proper hints leading up to hit.
In addition, Hautala gives us two hoods, one a teenager, the other in his early twenties, who are either horrible people, or well on their way to becoming one, but doesn't give us much reason for why they're like they are. The teenager at least has some depth of character in how he's poised at the point where he can become like the other one, or strive to be better than that, but his motivations either way aren't that clear. Hautala seems to show his growth by the end of the novel, but then he pulls it all back and makes him a bully again, in order to give more growth to another character. And then there's the father, who is supposed to barely be there for his sons, but seems to be making a decent effort that the sons are oblivious to. We're supposed to accept he's an absent father because his kids think so, even though his behavior tells us otherwise. I couldn't get a handle on what we were supposed to feel about him.
The heart of the Untcigahunk legend is Native American, so of course we have to have a Native American character. His portrayal is ham-fisted and potentially offensive -- he has long, oily, black hair, and he's an alcoholic -- but this was published in 1988, when political correctness (otherwise known as "treating people as they wish to be treated") was just starting to get mainstream. On the bright side, Hautala avoids a lot of the mysticism that goes along with Native American stereotypes, but the characterization is problematic.
Untcigahunk is a collection of the novel Little Brothers and eight additional stories that expand on the idea of the creatures. The first three stories stories go a long way toward explaining what the creatures are and how they came to be (they're each a "Micmac ... tale told around the campfire"), but I couldn't help but wish that it had all been woven into the main novel. It would have realized the creatures more and added to the story. The remaining five stories are full stories, and while the first one captured a sense of portentous dread, the others were too predictable. It didn't help that I already knew what the twist of each story was going to be, thus removing some of the tension of the stories, but they just read like a standard "they're coming to get you" horror story.
Had I read this book back in the '90s when I was in full-on horror mode, I might have appreciated it more. Now, what I deem to be good horror is so far removed from what was published back then. Not even my nostalgia for that time can make this story more than just being ok.
The novel is about creatures that live underground and come out every five years to go on a killing spree, and the main character is a young boy who saw his mother killed by said creatures five years ago. It starts out with the boy in therapy, talking about his loss, coming to terms with it. Now, it's five years later, and he's the only one who has seen the creatures, and there's only one other person in the town knows what's going to happen.
The story starts out fairly well, starting off with character instead of setting. It's a bit clunky, since the characters have to go a long way toward explaining what's happened so far, so we get a lot of telling, but at least I felt like the characters were folks to care about. Hautala also goes into a lot of minute detail in his scenes, which draws them out. Here's an example:
He chewed the sticky peanut butter thoroughly before washing it down with generous gulps of clear, cold water.
I think it helps add to his atmosphere (it raises tension, especially when you know that something bad is going to happen), but I couldn't help but feel like a lot of the detail was unnecessary. He's already told us that the character has a peanut butter sandwich, and that he has a cup of water from a spring. Was it necessary to then go into that much detail about how he eats his lunch?
As a result, it takes a long time for the story to get going. The lead-up wasn't uninteresting, but it was long-winded, and didn't seem all that relevant. Once we get to the heart of the action, it wraps up pretty quickly, making me wonder what the point of the story was. Usually stories that take that long in the build-up wind up being character examinations, but the story doesn't work that way, either, since the characters are inconsistent. I think some of that is Hautala trying to do some character development over the course of the story, but it didn't convince me. The main character is a twelve-year-old boy who, around the halfway point of the novel, reveals that he's running away from home, and has been planning it for about a year. There's no indication in the story that he's been thinking about this until the day before, and there's nothing in the story to convince me that he would want to run away. It's like Hautala needed him to run away to make the next part of the story work, and dropped that plot point in without giving us the proper hints leading up to hit.
In addition, Hautala gives us two hoods, one a teenager, the other in his early twenties, who are either horrible people, or well on their way to becoming one, but doesn't give us much reason for why they're like they are. The teenager at least has some depth of character in how he's poised at the point where he can become like the other one, or strive to be better than that, but his motivations either way aren't that clear. Hautala seems to show his growth by the end of the novel, but then he pulls it all back and makes him a bully again, in order to give more growth to another character. And then there's the father, who is supposed to barely be there for his sons, but seems to be making a decent effort that the sons are oblivious to. We're supposed to accept he's an absent father because his kids think so, even though his behavior tells us otherwise. I couldn't get a handle on what we were supposed to feel about him.
The heart of the Untcigahunk legend is Native American, so of course we have to have a Native American character. His portrayal is ham-fisted and potentially offensive -- he has long, oily, black hair, and he's an alcoholic -- but this was published in 1988, when political correctness (otherwise known as "treating people as they wish to be treated") was just starting to get mainstream. On the bright side, Hautala avoids a lot of the mysticism that goes along with Native American stereotypes, but the characterization is problematic.
Untcigahunk is a collection of the novel Little Brothers and eight additional stories that expand on the idea of the creatures. The first three stories stories go a long way toward explaining what the creatures are and how they came to be (they're each a "Micmac ... tale told around the campfire"), but I couldn't help but wish that it had all been woven into the main novel. It would have realized the creatures more and added to the story. The remaining five stories are full stories, and while the first one captured a sense of portentous dread, the others were too predictable. It didn't help that I already knew what the twist of each story was going to be, thus removing some of the tension of the stories, but they just read like a standard "they're coming to get you" horror story.
Had I read this book back in the '90s when I was in full-on horror mode, I might have appreciated it more. Now, what I deem to be good horror is so far removed from what was published back then. Not even my nostalgia for that time can make this story more than just being ok.
August 16, 2021
I love me some Rick Hautala and Untcigahunk: The Complete Little Brothers is a pretty cool creature feature, ostensibly based on a Native American legend.
This Kindle edition features the title novel Little Brothers plus several "campfire" stories which explore the origins of the monstrous little bastards and also a few bonus short stories which deal with a number of other encounters with the creatures that occur over the years.
All in all, this one was fun. ☺
This Kindle edition features the title novel Little Brothers plus several "campfire" stories which explore the origins of the monstrous little bastards and also a few bonus short stories which deal with a number of other encounters with the creatures that occur over the years.
All in all, this one was fun. ☺
November 23, 2012
4th reading... this time i got to copy edit it for a new edition, happy.
December 21, 2024
Another reread and a fun one at that. If you like the world of Hautala you'll certainly dig this story of hidden forest creatures with sharp teeth running amok. Once again, I found myself enjoying the characters as well as the plot, and I probably will read it all over again in the near future. Moreover, what's great about this digital edition is that you get other stories of the Untcigahunk as a bonus. All in all, a must for fans.
Read
May 31, 2024DNF
September 9, 2025
Kinda felt bad for the little brothers at the end
September 19, 2016
The town's cavalier treatment of missing children is very strange. Two teenagers missing, the cops aren't looking, don't even contact their friends. Another kid missing, well it hasn't been a day yet, we'll maybe look later. Very unrealistic and pulled me out of the story. The monsters themselves are interesting and well done, although I think the five-year interval is way too short.
Read
September 21, 2013A good ole' horror novel -- a kid who saw something but nobody believes him, monsters in the woods, old Indian tales, teenagers who have sex get killed, a bully teenager causing even more problems... Overall, it was pretty good, although I would have appreciated it better if it was shorter, say, about 200 pages for the novel. The novel is followed by stories which are set in the same world, only at different times, starting from the creation of the world and the said monsters, and then through encounters with the monsters people had in that area. I enjoyed the creation stories even better than I enjoyed the novel, and some of the other stories were nicely wicked.
August 31, 2018
The story was great, and also liked the extra story that came along with it also. The one thing i can’t for is when are they going to bring to kindle the book MOONWALKER to kindle, i would buy that in a heart beat.
Currently reading
May 24, 2024"Deal with the Devils" - A farmer sacrifices kids to underground devils so that they leave his cattle unmolested.
"The Birch Whistle" - Eric and Patty are killed by forest creatures during a camping trip.
"The Birch Whistle" - Eric and Patty are killed by forest creatures during a camping trip.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2010
Good story, but it was kind of slow going.
September 14, 2014
Would have been 4 stars but some of the short stories spoiled it for me, notably the 'old one' stuff
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews