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Cold Fire
Sam O'Donnell's just another addict on the road to ruin. He knows it's time to make a fresh start - to save his marriage. Yet when Sam and his wife move to an estate by the sea to begin anew, they find something has taken the estate for its own...and it hungers.
When weighed in the balance a man can only face his demons and pray he is not found wanting. But Sam is not alone.
He never was.
When weighed in the balance a man can only face his demons and pray he is not found wanting. But Sam is not alone.
He never was.
- GenresHorror
Audible Audio
First published October 31, 2013
3 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
About the author
Craig Saunders
69 books72 followersCraig Saunders is the author of over thirty novels and novellas, including 'Masters of Blood and Bone', 'RAIN' and 'Deadlift'. He writes across many genres, but horror and fantasy (the 'Rythe' tales) are his favourites.
Craig lives in Norfolk, England, with his wife and children, likes nice people and good coffee. Find out more on Amazon, or visit:
www.craigrsaunders.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/craigrsaundersauthor
www.twitter.com/Grumblesprout
A little aside - I don't visit GR often, but I'm always available on Twitter or the FB page. I apologise in advance if it takes a while for me to answer a question here!
Craig lives in Norfolk, England, with his wife and children, likes nice people and good coffee. Find out more on Amazon, or visit:
www.craigrsaunders.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/craigrsaundersauthor
www.twitter.com/Grumblesprout
A little aside - I don't visit GR often, but I'm always available on Twitter or the FB page. I apologise in advance if it takes a while for me to answer a question here!
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 30, 2015
'Some part of me didn't make it back when I died.'
In The Estate, Craig Saunders gives us a fraught emotionally dark trip into the mind of a man scarred by loss, tainted by drug addiction, crippled from a heart attack and clinging to life through one thing, the love he bares for his wife.
Told in first person Sam O'Donnell is the protagonist and boy has he suffered, he's not the only one but physically life's taken its toll. Their daughter passed away and Sam plunged headfirst into the bottomless pit of alcohol and drug addiction. His body pulled him out of this fall with an emergency stop that killed him, the heart attack left a side of his body disadvantaged and a long road of physiotherapy ahead.
To aid his recovery and start afresh, Sam and Helen move to the seaside, where their walk to the beach and the sunset, takes them through an Estate. A seemingly innocuous place, that slowly reveals its true nature, a place where nightmares are born and terror inflames, and Sam has a stranger within him, one that feeds his addictions, forever tempts him, he strives to keep it at bay but the stranger might just be his saviour.
‘She’s got no face, Sam. There’s the shape of a face, but no holes for eyes, mouth, nostrils. Blank. The thing is, even though she’s got no face, I know she’s screaming.’
First off the cover to The Estate is truly creepy as Fuck, the tennis ball plays a big part in the story it's what Sam uses to exercise his hand and represents a shadow of normalcy when the supernatural aspect of the story comes to light.
The story is well written, like all good horror we flit between nightmare, questionable sanity and stark reality, all in a catacomb of darkness. Sam is not the most likeable character you'll ever meet but all the best characters come with a mountain of flaws and Sam has many, his most redeeming quality is his love for his wife. I love Craig Saunders, his writing and humour come closet to how I think, although I probably shouldn't admit that. The Estate took some time to get going, it was the style of writing that kept me with it but when it got there it was worthy of dread filled nightmare.
A 3.5* rating
Also posted at http://paulnelson.booklikes.com/post/...
In The Estate, Craig Saunders gives us a fraught emotionally dark trip into the mind of a man scarred by loss, tainted by drug addiction, crippled from a heart attack and clinging to life through one thing, the love he bares for his wife.
Told in first person Sam O'Donnell is the protagonist and boy has he suffered, he's not the only one but physically life's taken its toll. Their daughter passed away and Sam plunged headfirst into the bottomless pit of alcohol and drug addiction. His body pulled him out of this fall with an emergency stop that killed him, the heart attack left a side of his body disadvantaged and a long road of physiotherapy ahead.
To aid his recovery and start afresh, Sam and Helen move to the seaside, where their walk to the beach and the sunset, takes them through an Estate. A seemingly innocuous place, that slowly reveals its true nature, a place where nightmares are born and terror inflames, and Sam has a stranger within him, one that feeds his addictions, forever tempts him, he strives to keep it at bay but the stranger might just be his saviour.
‘She’s got no face, Sam. There’s the shape of a face, but no holes for eyes, mouth, nostrils. Blank. The thing is, even though she’s got no face, I know she’s screaming.’
First off the cover to The Estate is truly creepy as Fuck, the tennis ball plays a big part in the story it's what Sam uses to exercise his hand and represents a shadow of normalcy when the supernatural aspect of the story comes to light.
The story is well written, like all good horror we flit between nightmare, questionable sanity and stark reality, all in a catacomb of darkness. Sam is not the most likeable character you'll ever meet but all the best characters come with a mountain of flaws and Sam has many, his most redeeming quality is his love for his wife. I love Craig Saunders, his writing and humour come closet to how I think, although I probably shouldn't admit that. The Estate took some time to get going, it was the style of writing that kept me with it but when it got there it was worthy of dread filled nightmare.
A 3.5* rating
Also posted at http://paulnelson.booklikes.com/post/...
August 15, 2020
Excellent from start to finish. Madness, addiction, grief, survival and love - all the best aspects of horror and Craig nails them. Great stuff.
October 16, 2013
The Estate is a love story—scratch that. The Estate is a Life story. Yes, it’s a horror story as well but doesn’t life bring with it the most terrifying of horrors? Love, loss, failure—just a few of the things that cause fear and that we are all familiar with—are core ingredients in this tale along with the struggle to face these fears and search for redemption. Sam, the lead, is a damaged and flawed man, and this is what makes him stand out, this is what makes him human. His battle with addiction is something I’ve seen many friends deal with and, on some level, have myself. That struck a chord but even more so was his dealing with having had a stroke. Many of my family members have been victims of strokes and I watched them go through exactly way Sam when through and, in some cases, worse. So, it was easy for me to feel for Sam, to like him, and to want him see beat his demons and fears. There’s much more to this story, but I don’t want to give too much away. Saunders works the pathos well and his prose flows like a cool, calm river. He takes you by the hand on the first page and leads you on a wild, creepy, horrifying--yet touching—ride. The buildup is good; the climax thrilling. This was my first time reading Saunders. It won’t be my last.
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December 14, 2017Originally published as THE ESTATE
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews