This collection from the award-winning novelist and screenwriter Brian L. Porter showcases many of his finest short stories. The title piece, After Armageddon, depicts a future Earth scenario in the aftermath of a global nuclear holocaust, with a surprising twist in the tale. The Voice of Anton Bouchard, a novelette length thriller, soon to be made into a motion picture by Thunderball Films, tells the chilling story of ‘The Butcher Beast’, a vicious serial killer stalking the streets of Paris one long, hot summer. Take a journey inside the mind of a serial killer as ‘Anton Bouchard’ leaps from the pages to turn the streets of Paris red with the blood of his victims.
The Devil You Know takes us to Mexico, where police captain Juan Morales recounts his involvement in the case of a number of missing choirboys. This story led to the follow-up novel, Avenue of the Dead, available for Kindle on Amazon.com. In Red Sky in the Morning, a nuclear submarine surfaces from a long and arduous patrol to find the sky has turned red, all communication channels are dead, and it appears the crew are all alone on the vast expanse of the ocean. As they search for life in any form, the mystery only deepens. R.I.G.S and Alien Abduction take the reader into the world of science fiction, while the world of the paranormal is featured in The Festival. These and many others are contained in this exciting collection, which also features a guest appearance by horror author Carole Gill who, by invitation, contributes her short story, Raised.
Formerly a member of the Royal Air Force, Brian L Porter is an award-winning author, and a dedicated dog rescuer, with the distinction of having more than twenty Amazon #1 bestsellers to his name. He has written under three pseudonyms, with bestsellers coming under each of his writing guises. The majority of those have come under his Brian L Porter name with four coming under his Harry Porter and Juan Pablo Jalisco names.
Nowadays, he divides his time between writing his popular Mersey Murder Mystery series of books, and his immensely successful true-life Family of Rescue Dogs series, all featuring the dogs that form part of his own family, and all having been Amazon #1 bestsellers.
After Armageddon by Brian L. Porter is a smorgasbord of short stories that is a highly recommended introduction to the works of the renowned British indie lit author. For his readers around the globe, it’s a welcome addition to his growing anthology. The author displays his versatility with this assortment, ranging from his trademark murder mysteries to his Mexican chillers, as well as a futuristic thriller and a sci-fi suspense tale. It’s some of the best of Brian, guaranteed to entertain.
Among these spine-tinglers are The Voice of Anton Bouchard, an inside look at a serial killer that is reminiscent of Porter’s Ripper series. There is the title story, After Armageddon, that narrates the viewpoint of an angel witnessing the fall of mankind. We’ve also got Toxic Bitch, a quick trip along a radioactive wasteland where survivors are struggling against killer mutants. Not to mention Compliments of the Boss, a sequential stroll among Mexican sicarios that Porter fans are quite familiar with.
All in all. sixteen tales along with a sampler by a guest author that fits quite well. After Armageddon by Brian L. Porter is one you won’t want to miss.
The variety of story plots displays the author’s creative versatility. Each story has a different setting and the plots and actions are worlds apart in each. The title of the book, After Armageddon does not imply the entire book is about Armageddon stories. It’s the title on one exciting short story. These are strange stories, with “Under Mexican Skies – A Preview” being an exciting preview for the novel of the same name. I enjoyed this story because I am fascinated with all aspects of archaeology of any kind.
The last story, “Raised,” by guest author Carole Gill also captured my attention because it addresses insanity in a family. The workings of the mind also captures my attention and Carole Gill has presented such a true-to-life possibility.
The two stories that had endings with the most impact for me were “The Voice of Anton Bouchard” and “After Armageddon.” These close with such stunning endings which, I must say, were stunners. I also loved the heartwarming “Sound of Silence.” If you love short story collections, I recommend this book. This gifted author will keep you turning pages.
Brian L. Porter, an award-winning novelist, and screenwriter, platforms several of his premium short stories in this collection. He describes a forthcoming Earth situation in the aftershock of a worldwide nuclear holocaust, in his title story, After Armageddon. Be prepared to be enthralled as well as have your skin tingling, by these assorted narratives, with scenarios such as strange realms, diverse sceneries, paranormal atmospheres, and unnerving end-time prophecy. Each one is frightening and all of them are suspenseful and thrilling, showcasing the author’s creative and imaginative mind. If you love spine-chilling, thought-provoking, original, short stories, then you need to get this book, though just be prepared to have the *bleep* scared out of you. ;)
After Armageddon is amazing. I’m afraid of using too many superlatives. This book is an anthology of stories embracing varied genres. The author’s fertile and eclectic imagination treats the reader to sci-fi, mystery, suspense, supernatural and even the apocalyptic. It’s a joy to read and how I love the twists! It would be unfair to pick out just one story, but I was gripped by The Voice of Anton Bouchard and am still stunned by the ending. This short story screams to me to be made into a full-length novel. You shouldn’t judge a book in terms of a price to quality calculation, but if you do, then After Armageddon really is a fantastic bargain.
These short stories are as diverse as they are gripping, each with its own unique twist. I particularly enjoyed ‘Toxic Bitch’ which gave a very plausible perspective on a tragic situation. I smiled at the end of the Mexican kidnapping story & wanted to applaud the justified conclusion to the serial killer’s story. Porter has shown, once again, that his imagination knows no bounds & he remains a top favourite author on my bookshelf.
An eclectic mix of short stories across various genres. Some hits, more misses. If you are in dire need of something to read, give this a shot. However, if you have a big TBR pile of authors you already enjoy, I recommend passing on this.
If you read a lot of books from one author to you tire of his or her mode of writing. If it is Brian L. (Harry) Porter I don't think that is possible. This is another five star review for the reason that this book, an anthology of short stories, is brilliant. The last of these stories is by Carole Gill who is also a wonderfully talented author. Okay, you say, why five stars? Well the first part of my response is the writing, the content, the characters, the tales, the usage of language, the means of creating a scene or scenario, all the tricks that writers use are so well done in these stories that they deserve five stars. The second part of my response is simply that the stories are great. I will tell you a little of three of the many stories in the book. Toxic Bitch is the first I mention. If this one doesn't scare the living hell out of you then you are the bravest person alive. The second story I will mention is one written in substantial part about the author himself and his joyful episodes of swimming with dolphins. God how I envy him doing that and wish that I could do it as well. The third is a mystery story called The Significance of Cherries. Have you ever owned a dog that took you to see something, was insistent that you needed to come with him or her to a spot, or responded to another person positively or negatively in a very surprising fashion. If so you will get this story and love it. Brian L. Porter is an excellent writer. His short stories are fleshed out enough even though relatively short, to be believable, to be enjoyable and to merit five stars. Thanks Harry. You have done it for me again. Very enjoyable reading.
Brian L. Porter, an award-winning novelist and screenwriter, platforms several of his premium short stories in this collection. He describes a forthcoming Earth situation in the aftershock of a worldwide nuclear holocaust, in his title story, After Armageddon. Be prepared to be enthralled as well as have your skin tingling, by these assorted narratives, with scenarios such as strange realms, diverse sceneries, paranormal atmospheres, and unnerving end time prophecy. Each one is frightening and all of them are suspenseful and thrilling, showcasing the author’s creative and imaginative mind. If you love spine-chilling, thought provoking, original, short stories, than you need to get this book, though just be prepared to have the *bleep* scared out of you. ;)
These stories run the gamut from gore to world peace. Best of all, most are not what you expect. The author takes you from Mexico to England. The characters are believable, and he somehow makes their situation believeable. If you haven't read his mysteries, you'll soon know why you should. Be warned though. He can be a bit graphic when writing a grisly scene. It really makes you want to see the villian taken down. If you like short stories with different endings, this is one you need to read.