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Prey: Seven Tales of Beastly Terror
A longhorn rancher gets more than he bargained for...
A mythical bird becomes all too real...
The ghost of a cat enacts a nasty revenge...
And a bear becomes a weapon just as dangerous to its wielder...
These are some of the tales in this anthology of animal mayhem by exciting authors of today. From cats, to dogs, to longhorns, rats and bears, Seven Tales of Beastly Terror explores the frightening ways nature could easily turn on us...if we provoke it.
A mythical bird becomes all too real...
The ghost of a cat enacts a nasty revenge...
And a bear becomes a weapon just as dangerous to its wielder...
These are some of the tales in this anthology of animal mayhem by exciting authors of today. From cats, to dogs, to longhorns, rats and bears, Seven Tales of Beastly Terror explores the frightening ways nature could easily turn on us...if we provoke it.
- GenresHorror
302 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2015
32 people want to read
About the author
John Cassian
7 books95 followersJohn Cassian is an author of horror/thrillers centered around a serial killer who goes by many names. He has also contributed a short story to a horror anthology series called "Prey." Cassian is not nearly as disturbing in real life as his characters -- or so he would like you to believe....
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 15, 2015
While this collection only contains seven stories, together they cover almost every aspect of mankind's relationship with the natural world from using it to their own advantage and to cover up their own mistakes to trying to change, master and 'improve' it. Each story is very different in style and pace but all seven work really well together, combining superb story telling and interesting questions and ideas about our relationship with the natural world.
Longhorn tells of the clash between traditional cattle farming and the onset of GM crops and their potential risks, especially when taken to extremes that require the wearing of hazmet suits and abundant use of dangerous chemicals. This clash is exaggerated by using a husband and wife to show this conflict, with fatal results.
The Rogue Bear combines the ever present fear of man becoming prey with the murderous attitude of man himself as nature is used to solve one man's problem. As an innocent man is caught up in this, nature again steps in to readdress the balance.
A Siamese Cat takes the traditional ghost story and takes it to a new level as the unsettled spirit is that of a cat rather than a person. This is a chilling tale that looks at animals as we do each other, as beings with feelings and emotions and a sense of betrayal, anger and revenge.
Sleeping Dog is a superbly disturbing story that starts off with the legalisation of drugs and the creation of a new one that seems harmless enough...to begin with at least. Quickly it becomes apparent that there is much more to the new drug and its origins than meets the eye.
Rat Bastard is an excellent story of a mother and potential wife trying to find herself and a freedom that she has missed as she travels to an uninhabited and unnamed island in the seas off the coast of Thailand. Here she discovers a freedom that is chilling and disturbing but also exactly what she was looking for. The second part tells of how her freedom affects her son and fiance and their attempts to bring her home.
Chopin & Slacks is a great new take on the traditional werewolf tale told through the eyes of a rescue cat, Chopin. It shows the brutality of such a change and how it can dictate every aspect of an individual's life.
Project Phoenix is a modern Frankenstein story with Government funded research into reanimation. But this story adds in the psychological affects of such an experience, for those brought back and for those around them.
Longhorn tells of the clash between traditional cattle farming and the onset of GM crops and their potential risks, especially when taken to extremes that require the wearing of hazmet suits and abundant use of dangerous chemicals. This clash is exaggerated by using a husband and wife to show this conflict, with fatal results.
The Rogue Bear combines the ever present fear of man becoming prey with the murderous attitude of man himself as nature is used to solve one man's problem. As an innocent man is caught up in this, nature again steps in to readdress the balance.
A Siamese Cat takes the traditional ghost story and takes it to a new level as the unsettled spirit is that of a cat rather than a person. This is a chilling tale that looks at animals as we do each other, as beings with feelings and emotions and a sense of betrayal, anger and revenge.
Sleeping Dog is a superbly disturbing story that starts off with the legalisation of drugs and the creation of a new one that seems harmless enough...to begin with at least. Quickly it becomes apparent that there is much more to the new drug and its origins than meets the eye.
Rat Bastard is an excellent story of a mother and potential wife trying to find herself and a freedom that she has missed as she travels to an uninhabited and unnamed island in the seas off the coast of Thailand. Here she discovers a freedom that is chilling and disturbing but also exactly what she was looking for. The second part tells of how her freedom affects her son and fiance and their attempts to bring her home.
Chopin & Slacks is a great new take on the traditional werewolf tale told through the eyes of a rescue cat, Chopin. It shows the brutality of such a change and how it can dictate every aspect of an individual's life.
Project Phoenix is a modern Frankenstein story with Government funded research into reanimation. But this story adds in the psychological affects of such an experience, for those brought back and for those around them.
June 17, 2015
Six short, and one not-so-short, horror stories on an animal theme, written in a range of styles and genres. The book also comes with some great illustrations.
My favourite was Chopin & Slacks, a cat's-eye-view of a classic monster theme. This was written with great economy and a lot of humour. A taut, well-polished tale with a nice twist.
Another favourite was also a cat story: A Siamese Cat. Here we listen-in on a man describing his spooky Thai adventures to an acquaintance in a hotel bar. This old-fashioned storytelling had a classic M. R. James feel to it – a style I really like. I also enjoyed the fact that, despite its jungle location, the story is essentially set in a railway depot; an unusual combination of the exotic and prosaic.
Some of the other tales were a little too gruesome for me to enjoy to the same extent, but all in all it's a decent collection and worth the time of any horror aficionado.
My favourite was Chopin & Slacks, a cat's-eye-view of a classic monster theme. This was written with great economy and a lot of humour. A taut, well-polished tale with a nice twist.
Another favourite was also a cat story: A Siamese Cat. Here we listen-in on a man describing his spooky Thai adventures to an acquaintance in a hotel bar. This old-fashioned storytelling had a classic M. R. James feel to it – a style I really like. I also enjoyed the fact that, despite its jungle location, the story is essentially set in a railway depot; an unusual combination of the exotic and prosaic.
Some of the other tales were a little too gruesome for me to enjoy to the same extent, but all in all it's a decent collection and worth the time of any horror aficionado.
October 25, 2015
Prey (Seven Tales of Beastly Terror)
I choose to read this book based on the cover, it really pulled me in.
This is a anthology of short stories centred around animals and the way people can misuse them. In some cases. I liked all the short stories, some were really chilling.
But the two that stuck in my mind after reading Prey was. The Rogue Bear author Danielle Tara Evans. About a woman who gets killed by a bear and the man who tried to save her also get killed. But was this just an accident or something more nasty? You'd have to read this to find out. And Longhorn Author Chance Maree because I found that one really creepy.
But I did like them all and the book itself was set out really well and I really liked the images on top of the titles.
I would recommend this Anthology if you like creepy stories of how mankind uses the natural world to their advantage or to help them cover their mistakes, all the stories are different with well rounded characters that leap off the page.
I choose to read this book based on the cover, it really pulled me in.
This is a anthology of short stories centred around animals and the way people can misuse them. In some cases. I liked all the short stories, some were really chilling.
But the two that stuck in my mind after reading Prey was. The Rogue Bear author Danielle Tara Evans. About a woman who gets killed by a bear and the man who tried to save her also get killed. But was this just an accident or something more nasty? You'd have to read this to find out. And Longhorn Author Chance Maree because I found that one really creepy.
But I did like them all and the book itself was set out really well and I really liked the images on top of the titles.
I would recommend this Anthology if you like creepy stories of how mankind uses the natural world to their advantage or to help them cover their mistakes, all the stories are different with well rounded characters that leap off the page.
January 29, 2016
I would give this book a 5-star rating for Chopin and Slacks alone, but then I'm a cat lover and what cat lover wouldn't like a horror story told from the point of view of a cat! While Chopin and Slacks was my personal favorite, I enjoyed each and every one of the stories. Indeed, as I read through them, I wasn't sure I was going to be able to find a favorite. This collection is well worth a read, and the fact that the proceeds go for a very good cause just sweetens the pot!
November 30, 2016
A nice little book of scary short stories for a cold winter's night.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews