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The Stages of Decay
Tom survived the accident. No one else did.
Months later, hungover and trying to outrun the guilt, he gets roped into going on a hike. That doesn’t last long when he gets lost in the woods.
The deeper Tom wanders, the more the forest changes. The air buzzes. The ground shifts. The trees seem to breathe. And soon, he’s no longer alone.
The dead from the accident are here.
What starts as a fight for survival becomes a descent into buried memories, unraveling sanity, and a truth he can no longer outrun. Something out there knows what really happened the day of the accident.
And it’s not going to let Tom leave.
Months later, hungover and trying to outrun the guilt, he gets roped into going on a hike. That doesn’t last long when he gets lost in the woods.
The deeper Tom wanders, the more the forest changes. The air buzzes. The ground shifts. The trees seem to breathe. And soon, he’s no longer alone.
The dead from the accident are here.
What starts as a fight for survival becomes a descent into buried memories, unraveling sanity, and a truth he can no longer outrun. Something out there knows what really happened the day of the accident.
And it’s not going to let Tom leave.
96 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 15, 2026
About the author
Sam Weiss
3 books36 followersSam was named after a dog, a fact her mother disputes to this day.
While she’s terrible at writing “About Me”s about her, she’s been told she’s great at writing about what fictional people do. The more miserable she can make them, the better.
Her love of horror films from the 80s, sci-fi shows from the 90s, and alternative music from the 00s have inspired her to write what she’s calling “Weird Sci-fi Horror” although she’s kind of making that up as she goes along.
When she’s not ready to pull her hair out after discovering another plot hole she’s created, she goes camping with her husband as far away from society as possible. So far, this tactic has been mostly successful and she’s only had to physically converse with a grand total of nine people this year. Next year, she hopes to get that number down to six.
While she’s terrible at writing “About Me”s about her, she’s been told she’s great at writing about what fictional people do. The more miserable she can make them, the better.
Her love of horror films from the 80s, sci-fi shows from the 90s, and alternative music from the 00s have inspired her to write what she’s calling “Weird Sci-fi Horror” although she’s kind of making that up as she goes along.
When she’s not ready to pull her hair out after discovering another plot hole she’s created, she goes camping with her husband as far away from society as possible. So far, this tactic has been mostly successful and she’s only had to physically converse with a grand total of nine people this year. Next year, she hopes to get that number down to six.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
June 22, 2026
I would like to thank the author for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book read like a fever dream or a manic Groundhog Day.
What Sam did well in The Stages of Decay was the tackling of grief, trauma, survivor’s guilt, and healing.
In my own experience of reading this short story, I came to the following conclusions:
I successfully suspended any preconceived expectations or assumptions until I finished the final word. In doing so, I struggled upon conclusion to fully comprehend what happened, as it wasn’t fully explained. If the story was extended further to provide details on what actually happened in the bunker, what was in the woods, was Glasser and Tom romantic/intimate partners or more thank bunker mates, and lastly the weird obsession over the 7/8 leggings and cigarettes….this would have resolved the questions I feel a majority of readers will encounter. If this can be resolved prior to official publication release, then, I feel, it will allow readers to enjoy the story as a whole, instead of loving it for its piece-meal parts in its current drafting.
Memorable Quotes:
“Why was it always easier to agree and let things happen, instead of stopping them?”
“There was a reason I frequented bars, casinos, nightclubs, anywhere with alcohol. Kids weren’t allowed. No kids equaled no reminders.”
“I stretched, my sore joints screaming then popping in relief, and stumbled over to the stump I’d mistaken for Glasser. I took my morning piss on it.”
“Stress can manifest in strange ways.”
“Perception creates a different version of the same reality.”
“The thing you feared most was always going to surface.”
This book read like a fever dream or a manic Groundhog Day.
What Sam did well in The Stages of Decay was the tackling of grief, trauma, survivor’s guilt, and healing.
In my own experience of reading this short story, I came to the following conclusions:
I successfully suspended any preconceived expectations or assumptions until I finished the final word. In doing so, I struggled upon conclusion to fully comprehend what happened, as it wasn’t fully explained. If the story was extended further to provide details on what actually happened in the bunker, what was in the woods, was Glasser and Tom romantic/intimate partners or more thank bunker mates, and lastly the weird obsession over the 7/8 leggings and cigarettes….this would have resolved the questions I feel a majority of readers will encounter. If this can be resolved prior to official publication release, then, I feel, it will allow readers to enjoy the story as a whole, instead of loving it for its piece-meal parts in its current drafting.
Memorable Quotes:
“Why was it always easier to agree and let things happen, instead of stopping them?”
“There was a reason I frequented bars, casinos, nightclubs, anywhere with alcohol. Kids weren’t allowed. No kids equaled no reminders.”
“I stretched, my sore joints screaming then popping in relief, and stumbled over to the stump I’d mistaken for Glasser. I took my morning piss on it.”
“Stress can manifest in strange ways.”
“Perception creates a different version of the same reality.”
“The thing you feared most was always going to surface.”
July 19, 2026
Tom is talked into going on a hike. Harmless right. But he survived an accident and his mind is going on overdrive. Isn’t it? Must be his mind mustn’t it.
He sets off on the guided hike and is met by the dead from the accident.
He’ll be fine though, as long as he follows the markers and finds the others.
This was really unusual and really good. A fast read and really enjoyable seeing what poor Tom was facing and hearing.
He sets off on the guided hike and is met by the dead from the accident.
He’ll be fine though, as long as he follows the markers and finds the others.
This was really unusual and really good. A fast read and really enjoyable seeing what poor Tom was facing and hearing.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Sam has a real knack for writing morally questionable protagonists who are haunted by their past (sometimes literally) and that shines through again here. Not the least because the main character, Tom, is a character who plays a sizable role in a full-length novel, The Afterlife Experiment, for which this story serves as a prequel.
As with everything I've read by this author, the editing is spot on, the writing flows naturally, and the mood dial is turned all the way to creepy.
Take a man who did [something!] wrong, ran from it, tried to drown himself in alcohol and cigarettes... then set him loose at a ski resort on a mountainside hike he didn't sign up for but somehow gets shanghaied into going on anyway. What you end up with is a recipe for the kind of nature tour that National Geographic would never approve of, and one that brings Tom face to face with the demons he's tried to forget.
It's a quick story where the mountain(s) and forests play a sizable role in the increasing levels of fear and guilt and regret that occupy Tom's waking moments, but it wraps up very well on a tone that is... not redemptive, exactly, but at least somewhat accepting. For the first time in the novella, the metaphorical clouds about Tom seem to have lifted just enough for a little bit of sunlight to shine through, and his 'lost hikers' meet-cute at the end suggests things might finally be turning around.
Of course, those of us who have already read The Afterlife Experiment know better, don't we?
[Note: I received this ARC from the author after signing up via their online form and then badgering them ruthlessly until they sent me a copy.]
As with everything I've read by this author, the editing is spot on, the writing flows naturally, and the mood dial is turned all the way to creepy.
Take a man who did [something!] wrong, ran from it, tried to drown himself in alcohol and cigarettes... then set him loose at a ski resort on a mountainside hike he didn't sign up for but somehow gets shanghaied into going on anyway. What you end up with is a recipe for the kind of nature tour that National Geographic would never approve of, and one that brings Tom face to face with the demons he's tried to forget.
It's a quick story where the mountain(s) and forests play a sizable role in the increasing levels of fear and guilt and regret that occupy Tom's waking moments, but it wraps up very well on a tone that is... not redemptive, exactly, but at least somewhat accepting. For the first time in the novella, the metaphorical clouds about Tom seem to have lifted just enough for a little bit of sunlight to shine through, and his 'lost hikers' meet-cute at the end suggests things might finally be turning around.
Of course, those of us who have already read The Afterlife Experiment know better, don't we?
[Note: I received this ARC from the author after signing up via their online form and then badgering them ruthlessly until they sent me a copy.]
Review of advance copy received from Author
✨️ARC REVIEW✨️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ & a 🚬 for Tom
“A reality pretending to be normal, when it clearly wasn’t. Like mine.”
Thankyou Sam for the ARC. I was so excited to be back in The Afterlife Experiment Universe with my favourite morally questionable character. 😜
Ahh, Tommy boy... I've been waiting for the chance to crawl inside your head and watch your guilt, grief and trauma slowly consume you after you walked out of that bunker. Tom is the kind of character you love to hate, yet can't stop reading about. He can be so unbelievably infuriating. You want to shake him, yell at him, and question every life choice he's ever made... yet somehow, buried beneath all that frustration, you may still find yourself feeling bad for the guy and feel the need to share a ciggy with him.. Or is that just me? 🤣
Sam setting this story in the woods was such a clever choice. It perfectly sets the mood, showing that Tom isn't just physically lost, he's also wandering through the wreckage of his own mind. Every twisting path and endless stretch of trees feels like another barrier preventing him from outrunning what he's done. The forest so much more than just a place that sets the scene. It becomes a living reflection of his guilt, stripping away any illusion that he can escape the truth. With every step, the weight of his choices grows heavier, and the suffocating atmosphere makes it feel as though the woods had already decided his fate long before he did.
I have to applaud you, Sam, for this incredible little book. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 It may be short, but it packs such an emotional and psychological punch. More than that, it really showcases how much you've grown as a writer throughout this series. Your confidence in crafting an unsettling atmosphere and writing such complex, morally questionable characters shines through on every page, and I genuinely can't wait to see what comes next in this universe! 🙌🏻
P.S. You'll never look at Egg Salad Sandwiches the same after reading this novella! 🥚🤢
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ & a 🚬 for Tom
“A reality pretending to be normal, when it clearly wasn’t. Like mine.”
Thankyou Sam for the ARC. I was so excited to be back in The Afterlife Experiment Universe with my favourite morally questionable character. 😜
Ahh, Tommy boy... I've been waiting for the chance to crawl inside your head and watch your guilt, grief and trauma slowly consume you after you walked out of that bunker. Tom is the kind of character you love to hate, yet can't stop reading about. He can be so unbelievably infuriating. You want to shake him, yell at him, and question every life choice he's ever made... yet somehow, buried beneath all that frustration, you may still find yourself feeling bad for the guy and feel the need to share a ciggy with him.. Or is that just me? 🤣
Sam setting this story in the woods was such a clever choice. It perfectly sets the mood, showing that Tom isn't just physically lost, he's also wandering through the wreckage of his own mind. Every twisting path and endless stretch of trees feels like another barrier preventing him from outrunning what he's done. The forest so much more than just a place that sets the scene. It becomes a living reflection of his guilt, stripping away any illusion that he can escape the truth. With every step, the weight of his choices grows heavier, and the suffocating atmosphere makes it feel as though the woods had already decided his fate long before he did.
I have to applaud you, Sam, for this incredible little book. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 It may be short, but it packs such an emotional and psychological punch. More than that, it really showcases how much you've grown as a writer throughout this series. Your confidence in crafting an unsettling atmosphere and writing such complex, morally questionable characters shines through on every page, and I genuinely can't wait to see what comes next in this universe! 🙌🏻
P.S. You'll never look at Egg Salad Sandwiches the same after reading this novella! 🥚🤢
Review of advance copy received from Author
Stages of Decay
A Forest Horror Novella
By Sam Weiss
⭐⭐⭐✨
If you've read my reviews before, you already know I am not a cliffhanger girlie… and while this technically wasn't a cliffhanger so to speak, it also was NOT a complete ending. I finished this novella with approximately 47 questions rattling around in my brain. What was real? What wasn't? Was Tom actually saved? Is he capable of changing? And what really happened to Atra?! Sam Weiss really said, “Here’s some psychological chaos, good luck figuring it out,” and then walked away. 😭
I don't think I've ever read isolation horror before… And is it technically isolation horror when the main character is surrounded by ghosts from his past, and the absolute breakdown is happening inside his own head? Watching Tom spiral was one of the strongest parts of the story. He is deeply morally grey, completely falling apart, and from the second he wakes up, you can tell this man has hit rock bottom hard. The ranger hut scene was probably my favorite part of the entire novella.
Also, shout-out to Buster for attempting to befriend a man who absolutely did not deserve it. Although recommending an egg salad sandwich for a hike is criminal behavior, so maybe none of these people can be trusted. I mean, YUCK! 😂
Overall, this was a quick, eerie read about guilt, regret, and whether someone can truly outrun their past before it consumes them completely. Support an indie author and check it out!
A Forest Horror Novella
By Sam Weiss
⭐⭐⭐✨
If you've read my reviews before, you already know I am not a cliffhanger girlie… and while this technically wasn't a cliffhanger so to speak, it also was NOT a complete ending. I finished this novella with approximately 47 questions rattling around in my brain. What was real? What wasn't? Was Tom actually saved? Is he capable of changing? And what really happened to Atra?! Sam Weiss really said, “Here’s some psychological chaos, good luck figuring it out,” and then walked away. 😭
I don't think I've ever read isolation horror before… And is it technically isolation horror when the main character is surrounded by ghosts from his past, and the absolute breakdown is happening inside his own head? Watching Tom spiral was one of the strongest parts of the story. He is deeply morally grey, completely falling apart, and from the second he wakes up, you can tell this man has hit rock bottom hard. The ranger hut scene was probably my favorite part of the entire novella.
Also, shout-out to Buster for attempting to befriend a man who absolutely did not deserve it. Although recommending an egg salad sandwich for a hike is criminal behavior, so maybe none of these people can be trusted. I mean, YUCK! 😂
Overall, this was a quick, eerie read about guilt, regret, and whether someone can truly outrun their past before it consumes them completely. Support an indie author and check it out!
July 9, 2026
Chaotic, jarring, and fever dream-ish…this novella serves as a prequel to Weiss’ two other novels in the Altered Planes series.
We start with Tom, hungover and trying to figure out where he is. The demons of his past are trying to catch up with him, and he won’t stop running. You, as the reader, are also a bit disoriented and trying to get your barrings. And as Tom gets swept up into a hike he had no desire to go on, he’s forced to confront what he did.
But because Weiss is so good at writing twisted Alice in Wonderlandesque stories, we get the truth in flashes of memories, hallucinations, and stumbling desperation. You cannot tell what is real, and what is imaginary, and you feel Tom’s agony as he is slowly losing his grip on reality.
Sam also makes the setting, dense forests and vast mountains, a character that keeps Tom from escaping his inevitable destination-the truth. It surrounds him-enveloping him in darkness, despair, and hopelessness. Will he ever make it out alive? Will nature provide a way? Or will be succumb to its endless expanse?
This quick read is a nice slice of horror, and a perfect companion piece to the series. Come dive into Tom’s story if you’re looking for lose yourself in a journey of grief and guilt. 4.5 stars
A big thank you to the author for my arc. My opinion is my own.
We start with Tom, hungover and trying to figure out where he is. The demons of his past are trying to catch up with him, and he won’t stop running. You, as the reader, are also a bit disoriented and trying to get your barrings. And as Tom gets swept up into a hike he had no desire to go on, he’s forced to confront what he did.
But because Weiss is so good at writing twisted Alice in Wonderlandesque stories, we get the truth in flashes of memories, hallucinations, and stumbling desperation. You cannot tell what is real, and what is imaginary, and you feel Tom’s agony as he is slowly losing his grip on reality.
Sam also makes the setting, dense forests and vast mountains, a character that keeps Tom from escaping his inevitable destination-the truth. It surrounds him-enveloping him in darkness, despair, and hopelessness. Will he ever make it out alive? Will nature provide a way? Or will be succumb to its endless expanse?
This quick read is a nice slice of horror, and a perfect companion piece to the series. Come dive into Tom’s story if you’re looking for lose yourself in a journey of grief and guilt. 4.5 stars
A big thank you to the author for my arc. My opinion is my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you for the Arc Sam!
The book follows a guy named Tom, not a very likable character. He drinks a lot, he’s dealing with a past memory, and now he’s trapped in the woods. The whole time I felt like he needed a cigarette. This phrase of needing a cigarette is repeated pretty often in the book. Tom is in a heavy withdrawal from nicotine.
It’s a psychological novella where being lost in the woods kicks in fear, hunger and hallucination pushing one to survive. The visuals are great and the environment described can be accessible to see.
I thought the novel was well written, however, not liking Tom really made me not care for the character.
The novella then also switches into a sci-fi element, and I felt it was much bizarre to do that. I think it definitely has originality, but it didn’t grab me as it should have. I also felt it tried to be too many things at once. The subplot felt quite random to me, but I guess it served as a way to show us more of Tom’s personality and what conflicts he was dealing with. Finally, the novella also tackles grief and coming to terms with it.
Overall, it was an okay read. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it either. The ending ended happier, and I wish it didn’t. However, that may be a personal preference.
The book follows a guy named Tom, not a very likable character. He drinks a lot, he’s dealing with a past memory, and now he’s trapped in the woods. The whole time I felt like he needed a cigarette. This phrase of needing a cigarette is repeated pretty often in the book. Tom is in a heavy withdrawal from nicotine.
It’s a psychological novella where being lost in the woods kicks in fear, hunger and hallucination pushing one to survive. The visuals are great and the environment described can be accessible to see.
I thought the novel was well written, however, not liking Tom really made me not care for the character.
The novella then also switches into a sci-fi element, and I felt it was much bizarre to do that. I think it definitely has originality, but it didn’t grab me as it should have. I also felt it tried to be too many things at once. The subplot felt quite random to me, but I guess it served as a way to show us more of Tom’s personality and what conflicts he was dealing with. Finally, the novella also tackles grief and coming to terms with it.
Overall, it was an okay read. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it either. The ending ended happier, and I wish it didn’t. However, that may be a personal preference.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A man haunted by a past he can’t outrun gets lost in the woods after being reluctantly dragged on a guided hiking tour. At under 90 pages, more short story than novelette, Weiss has no choice but to throw you straight into the chaos of Tom’s life. We know there’s been an accident. We know he’s lost someone. But the details are blurry, just like Tom himself when we first meet him... hungover, disoriented, and running from something he can’t even look at head‑on.
As he trudges up the mountain beside a man named Buster, the memories begin to creep up on him. And in the span of a few pages, he loses not only the group he’s half‑heartedly following, but his grip on the present as the ghosts of the past aim to drag him under.
As a standalone, it’s… okay. Compelling in moments, but thin in others. It feels like we’re missing a crucial piece of the emotional machinery... like The Stages of Decay isn’t the starting point, but a stop along the way. The shard of a bigger story rather than the whole thing.
As he trudges up the mountain beside a man named Buster, the memories begin to creep up on him. And in the span of a few pages, he loses not only the group he’s half‑heartedly following, but his grip on the present as the ghosts of the past aim to drag him under.
As a standalone, it’s… okay. Compelling in moments, but thin in others. It feels like we’re missing a crucial piece of the emotional machinery... like The Stages of Decay isn’t the starting point, but a stop along the way. The shard of a bigger story rather than the whole thing.
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.5 ⭐ ARC Review
For Fans of a:
- sci-if horror
- novella
- hiking gone wrong
- creepy forest
- man running from the past
✏️ Spoiler-Free ARC Review
You start the book just as confused as the main character. Just as things start making sense, Tom (the MC) gets lost in the woods and starts seeing things—the things he’s running from.
Personally, I’ve also read the other books that this one ties into and loved the little tidbits that fit into the overarching plot. However, this could definitely be read as a standalone novella. It’s a great quick read that provides all the information that’s needed as the story unfolds.
Also, please read the acknowledgements. They made me laugh because I felt that in my soul, Sam!
🖤 Thank you to author Sam Weiss and publisher Wise Cat Press for the digital advanced reader copy (ARC).
As always, my reviews are honest, my own, and voluntary!
📚 Book: The Stages of Decay by Sam Weiss
📅 Release Date: July 15, 2026
⭐ Rating: 4.5 out of 5
For Fans of a:
- sci-if horror
- novella
- hiking gone wrong
- creepy forest
- man running from the past
✏️ Spoiler-Free ARC Review
You start the book just as confused as the main character. Just as things start making sense, Tom (the MC) gets lost in the woods and starts seeing things—the things he’s running from.
Personally, I’ve also read the other books that this one ties into and loved the little tidbits that fit into the overarching plot. However, this could definitely be read as a standalone novella. It’s a great quick read that provides all the information that’s needed as the story unfolds.
Also, please read the acknowledgements. They made me laugh because I felt that in my soul, Sam!
🖤 Thank you to author Sam Weiss and publisher Wise Cat Press for the digital advanced reader copy (ARC).
As always, my reviews are honest, my own, and voluntary!
📚 Book: The Stages of Decay by Sam Weiss
📅 Release Date: July 15, 2026
⭐ Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was a solid 3.5 for me. I realized after that even though this is a stand alone, there are parts of it that would have had more clarity if the rest of the series was read first.
I'm a sucker for grief horror, and kind of unlikeable characters. I think they make a plot feel much more real. Given the name of the book, and the chapter titles I was expecting more gore, which wasn't the case. Decay as a metaphor for processing grief and trauma is an interesting premise, and I wish the author had delved a little further into that.
This would be a perfect quick read for people who are just dipping their feet into the horror genre.
Thanks to Sam Weiss for gifting me an e-copy of this novella in exchange for a review.
I'm a sucker for grief horror, and kind of unlikeable characters. I think they make a plot feel much more real. Given the name of the book, and the chapter titles I was expecting more gore, which wasn't the case. Decay as a metaphor for processing grief and trauma is an interesting premise, and I wish the author had delved a little further into that.
This would be a perfect quick read for people who are just dipping their feet into the horror genre.
Thanks to Sam Weiss for gifting me an e-copy of this novella in exchange for a review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I’m still reeling from what I just read. At just 88 pages, The Stages of Decay is a haunting, fever-dream novella that plunges the reader deep into Tom’s struggle to process trauma after a life-altering event.
Reluctantly joining a guided hike, Tom soon finds himself lost and alone in the woods. The narrative blurs reality and memory, forcing Tom to confront the pain of losing both a coworker and a family member. The result is a surreal journey through grief, guilt, and the tangled process of healing.
While I appreciated many aspects of this novella—the raw emotion and atmospheric writing really stand out—I found the story’s obscurity challenging and I’m still undecided about how I feel about the ambiguous ending.
Reluctantly joining a guided hike, Tom soon finds himself lost and alone in the woods. The narrative blurs reality and memory, forcing Tom to confront the pain of losing both a coworker and a family member. The result is a surreal journey through grief, guilt, and the tangled process of healing.
While I appreciated many aspects of this novella—the raw emotion and atmospheric writing really stand out—I found the story’s obscurity challenging and I’m still undecided about how I feel about the ambiguous ending.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I recieved an ARC from the author.
3.5/
This novella read like a manic fever dream. I was om the journey through it, figuring out what was going on at the same time Tom was.
I do wish there had been more of an explanation about what kind of experiments they were running and more of a background on the actual story. I get Tom is running from his past and doesn't want to think about it, but knowing more about everything would have grounded me a bit more in the story.
There was a creepy and unsettling feel to the story, which I enjoyed. I also liked how quickly the story immersed me. The ending didn't clear everything up though, and seemed to come kind of quickly, without really knowing how things were resolved.
Overall a creepy and thrilling short read.
3.5/
This novella read like a manic fever dream. I was om the journey through it, figuring out what was going on at the same time Tom was.
I do wish there had been more of an explanation about what kind of experiments they were running and more of a background on the actual story. I get Tom is running from his past and doesn't want to think about it, but knowing more about everything would have grounded me a bit more in the story.
There was a creepy and unsettling feel to the story, which I enjoyed. I also liked how quickly the story immersed me. The ending didn't clear everything up though, and seemed to come kind of quickly, without really knowing how things were resolved.
Overall a creepy and thrilling short read.
September 12, 2026
It should be understood that this novella exists as only a small part of the world Weiss has created with The Afterlife Experiment. I should also warn you that I believe this title should only be read after you have completed the first two books in her series so that you have an appropriate context to frame Stages of Decay. It was fun to experience the spiraling decline of Tom as he dealt with his grief and Weiss' choice to piggy back off of the 5 stages of grief and warp it into something truly horrific will stick with me as I experience the other works in this series at a later date. Stages of Decay is the first of its kind, that is, a story with a morally gray character, that I've read this year, and as a trope in itself, I'd like to start a list of these characters for a future post.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you Sam for the opportunity to read and review this ARC of the Stages of Decay.
This is a novella set about 15 years before the Altered Planes series.
I read book one and two last year and I became OBSESSED; it's unhinged and creepy!
The Stages of Decay is set not long after the accident that left Tom alive, but his co-workers and daughter dead...?
It's great to see that Tom was a piece of shit back then, too. The self hating prick gets lost in the woods, and the descriptions of egg salad sandwiches was visceral and disgusting.
I recommend you read books one and two followed by the Stages of Decay. I'm very excited to get my hands on book three when it's ready 😍
5/5⭐s I love this world and love Sam's brain for this creation.
This is a novella set about 15 years before the Altered Planes series.
I read book one and two last year and I became OBSESSED; it's unhinged and creepy!
The Stages of Decay is set not long after the accident that left Tom alive, but his co-workers and daughter dead...?
It's great to see that Tom was a piece of shit back then, too. The self hating prick gets lost in the woods, and the descriptions of egg salad sandwiches was visceral and disgusting.
I recommend you read books one and two followed by the Stages of Decay. I'm very excited to get my hands on book three when it's ready 😍
5/5⭐s I love this world and love Sam's brain for this creation.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I don’t really know how to rate this book. There are some aspects that I enjoyed, particularly the psychological horror of been lost in the woods. The fear, hunger and hallucinations were described very vividly and made you feel like you were experiencing it! However, the sci-fi element just didn’t do it for me sadly. It just made it feel a bit disjointed! I would’ve preferred it just to have been the psychological aspect surrounding grief and how to come to terms with it! The writing style was easy to understand and the length of the book was just right! I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it sadly!
September 15, 2026
Sam Weiss is the Queen of Weird Sci-Fi Horror! This is a prequel to The Afterlife Experiment, her first book.
Tom is trying to run from his past and cannot seem to escape no matter how hard he tries. He is forced to confront his mistakes while trying to survive in the woods after getting separated from his hiking group.
The descriptiveness and imagery did what was intended and creeped me the fuck out 😂 You don't know what's
real or what's fake. Just like the MC, you question everything. This story also touches on the impact grief and guilt has on a person.
Sam's writing is unique, addicting, and sometimes terrifying. She is one of my auto-read authors!
Tom is trying to run from his past and cannot seem to escape no matter how hard he tries. He is forced to confront his mistakes while trying to survive in the woods after getting separated from his hiking group.
The descriptiveness and imagery did what was intended and creeped me the fuck out 😂 You don't know what's
real or what's fake. Just like the MC, you question everything. This story also touches on the impact grief and guilt has on a person.
Sam's writing is unique, addicting, and sometimes terrifying. She is one of my auto-read authors!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I always enjoy when I get a chance to read authors works. It’s a privilege to get to read their tales before they are sent out into the wild.
The Stages Of Decay was a fast yet unique read.
The story has us follow Tom, who is suffering from a past trauma that continues to pull on his sanity. As the story progresses Tom is faced with the struggles of his situation and his emotional overload.The story overall was good though feeling bad for Tom had its issues. He isn’t a nice character but you can’t help but feel his pains. The ending felt a little rushed but it sets up for…
The Stages Of Decay was a fast yet unique read.
The story has us follow Tom, who is suffering from a past trauma that continues to pull on his sanity. As the story progresses Tom is faced with the struggles of his situation and his emotional overload.The story overall was good though feeling bad for Tom had its issues. He isn’t a nice character but you can’t help but feel his pains. The ending felt a little rushed but it sets up for…
Review of advance copy received from Author
As much as Tom tries to bury his past, he can't escape it. That becomes evident after finding himself lost in the woods where he is further haunted by his actions.
I'm familiar with the storyline having listened to the audiobook for another story from this author set in the same world. I found The Stages of Decay to be enjoyable and it works as a standalone if you haven't read others of the Sam's books. It was a quick and creepy read that kept me entertained and hooked throughout!
Thanks to the author for the ARC!
I'm familiar with the storyline having listened to the audiobook for another story from this author set in the same world. I found The Stages of Decay to be enjoyable and it works as a standalone if you haven't read others of the Sam's books. It was a quick and creepy read that kept me entertained and hooked throughout!
Thanks to the author for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This story is very intriguing read. I love Tom's perspective it helped a lot to understand his guilt. Poor guy 100. His haulcaintions of Glasser really got him through the forest. I love how he kept having flashbacks of what happened in the bunker. The big question for me is was the cabin real and how did a photo of everyone at the bunker get in the cabin. Honestly, I thought the title and description was about zombies in a good way. It's beautifully written from beginning to end 100. It took me 2 days that's how good it was and I haven't read a book like that in a long time. Iler.
Review of advance copy received from Author
It was honestly an interesting roller coaster ride of anger, grief, sadness, and letting go. I understand that this is a novella that is part of Weiss’s The Afterlife experiment, which I haven’t read yet, and it made me inclined to read the 2 books in the series!
I thoroughly enjoyed Weiss’s storytelling, and how she built the character in such a short amount of story. It makes me crave more of the Afterlife Experiment world!
The only thing is I didn’t expect the ending at all. I thought it would turn south after another hopeful moment.
Overall enjoyed this short read!
I thoroughly enjoyed Weiss’s storytelling, and how she built the character in such a short amount of story. It makes me crave more of the Afterlife Experiment world!
The only thing is I didn’t expect the ending at all. I thought it would turn south after another hopeful moment.
Overall enjoyed this short read!
July 24, 2026
ＹＥＳ 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰:
• Want disorienting psychological dread.
• Enjoy hallucinatory wilderness survival.
• Plan to read the Afterlife Experiment series.
ＮＯ 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘧:
• You expect a fully resolved standalone story.
• You dislike repetitive wandering plots.
• You want blood-soaked horror or unhinged twists.
ＴＨＥ ＰＬＯＴ:
Sole survivor Tom gets lost on a wilderness hike, where breathing trees and visions of the dead force him to face what he did before the forest consumes him.
ＴＨＲＩＬＬ－Ｏ－ＭＥＴＥＲ: 🩵🩵🩵✨️
The woods are watching, and Tom is running on pure, hungover panic! This novella starts with a sharp hook, plunging you into hallucinations, screaming memories, and a forest that feels suffocatingly alive. The author was great at making the reader feel like time has literally lost all meaning, and tom is on this journey alone, even if other people might also be on the same mountain as well.
The middle loops into repetitive wilderness stumbling, and the climax cuts out right when I felt an unhinged horror twist was coming. But then I later found out that this novella functions as a prequel to his series, which made a lot more sense.
This one strips away neat redemption tropes to focus on raw, unvarnished guilt. Ultimately, this brief burn hits best for series completists and readers who crave disorienting, atmosphere-first grief trips.
• Want disorienting psychological dread.
• Enjoy hallucinatory wilderness survival.
• Plan to read the Afterlife Experiment series.
ＮＯ 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘧:
• You expect a fully resolved standalone story.
• You dislike repetitive wandering plots.
• You want blood-soaked horror or unhinged twists.
ＴＨＥ ＰＬＯＴ:
Sole survivor Tom gets lost on a wilderness hike, where breathing trees and visions of the dead force him to face what he did before the forest consumes him.
ＴＨＲＩＬＬ－Ｏ－ＭＥＴＥＲ: 🩵🩵🩵✨️
The woods are watching, and Tom is running on pure, hungover panic! This novella starts with a sharp hook, plunging you into hallucinations, screaming memories, and a forest that feels suffocatingly alive. The author was great at making the reader feel like time has literally lost all meaning, and tom is on this journey alone, even if other people might also be on the same mountain as well.
The middle loops into repetitive wilderness stumbling, and the climax cuts out right when I felt an unhinged horror twist was coming. But then I later found out that this novella functions as a prequel to his series, which made a lot more sense.
This one strips away neat redemption tropes to focus on raw, unvarnished guilt. Ultimately, this brief burn hits best for series completists and readers who crave disorienting, atmosphere-first grief trips.
August 19, 2026
A haunting decent into ruin a resilience.
Stages Of Decay felt like a fever dream and had me questioning my own sanity at times.
I enjoyed the story however the ending left me frustrated. I felt like there were so many questions that needed closure and we didn't get it.
Tom was a very interesting character, and I think his trauma / survivor's guilt was capture well but is he actually a survivor? I'm still not sure.
That being said, with some tweaks this could definitely be a 5 star read.
Stages Of Decay felt like a fever dream and had me questioning my own sanity at times.
I enjoyed the story however the ending left me frustrated. I felt like there were so many questions that needed closure and we didn't get it.
Tom was a very interesting character, and I think his trauma / survivor's guilt was capture well but is he actually a survivor? I'm still not sure.
That being said, with some tweaks this could definitely be a 5 star read.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I would like to preface this by saying I love this author’s writing and I really liked the Afterlife Experiment series. This one started off strong and intriguing but was rather redundant. The ending was wrapped up too quickly.
Having read the Afterlife Experiment series, I understood this a bit more. But this is advertised as a standalone which I can 100% see how reviewers are confused with the sci-fi bit of this novella.
Having read the Afterlife Experiment series, I understood this a bit more. But this is advertised as a standalone which I can 100% see how reviewers are confused with the sci-fi bit of this novella.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Sam Weiss sure loves to mash up genres into a nice little weird mix bag of sci-fi forest horror that runs on chaos. Here we have the short tale of a cursed asshole haunted by past and a lack of cigarettes. There is so much guilt, grief, self-punishment following this man. He is deeply unlikable yet highly relatable.
Mostly because men will do literally anything expect go to therapy.
Thanks to the author for the ARC! I will read whatever weird tale she cooks up next.
Mostly because men will do literally anything expect go to therapy.
Thanks to the author for the ARC! I will read whatever weird tale she cooks up next.
July 17, 2026
The Stages of Decay by Sam Weiss
🌟🌟🌟.75
This was a fun little novella that dove into the guilt that Tom has been feeling since the incident. I really enjoyed the depiction of survivors guilt and depression. I liked the little cameos we get of Glasser. Tom is quite miserable in this part of the story so I was expecting that.
Literally do not want egg salad again after those descriptions maybe ever.
Thank you for the ARC Sam!
October 3, 2026
ghosts of the past
I didn’t know what to expect going into this story. It’s my first experience with a Sam Weiss book, and the title intrigued me. I like how the novella was broken down into the stages of decay - explaining each one as the MMC Tom takes his journey.
The voice of this story is funny, tragic, & defeated. Tom is at this lowest point, and through a hike turned survival situation, he begins to get clarity. His thought process is so well written that the reader feels his fear, his nausea, etc right along with him. (RIP egg salad)
Dark and gripping and thoroughly enjoyable.
I didn’t know what to expect going into this story. It’s my first experience with a Sam Weiss book, and the title intrigued me. I like how the novella was broken down into the stages of decay - explaining each one as the MMC Tom takes his journey.
The voice of this story is funny, tragic, & defeated. Tom is at this lowest point, and through a hike turned survival situation, he begins to get clarity. His thought process is so well written that the reader feels his fear, his nausea, etc right along with him. (RIP egg salad)
Dark and gripping and thoroughly enjoyable.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Eventhough I read this as an early stage Beta, I thoroughly enjoyed the mind bending psychological aspect of the read. Thank you so much, Sam, for allowing me to read this masterpiece. Parts of it still live rent free in my brain.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was a fast paced, high tension short story.
Our MC is unlikable and messy. Being lost in the woods is scary no matter what time of day or for how long. I thought the scenes at night were suspenseful and the atmosphere was well written.
Our MC is unlikable and messy. Being lost in the woods is scary no matter what time of day or for how long. I thought the scenes at night were suspenseful and the atmosphere was well written.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was a quick read for sure. I was a little bored but obviously had to finish it to see what was really going on. The ending had me confused. Thank you Sam for the advanced copy.
Review of advance copy received from Author
If you like short sci-fi horror stories, this is definitely one to check out. It is technically part of The Afterlife Experiment series, but it can be read as a standalone (and might convince you to read the rest!!).
We follow Tom as he goes on a lovely hike through the forest, only to become lost and begin seeing victims of the accident he alone survived. As reality starts to blur, the story takes on a fever dream-like quality that keeps you questioning what's real. Along the way, it explores Tom's grief, trauma, and guilt while allowing him to heal and grow.
Thanks to the author for an ARC to read and review!
We follow Tom as he goes on a lovely hike through the forest, only to become lost and begin seeing victims of the accident he alone survived. As reality starts to blur, the story takes on a fever dream-like quality that keeps you questioning what's real. Along the way, it explores Tom's grief, trauma, and guilt while allowing him to heal and grow.
Thanks to the author for an ARC to read and review!
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