Sectors: A Sectors Universe Novel

by Brick Marlin

181 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 3, 2026

About the author

At an early age Brick Marlin was exposed to horror and science fiction. He soon became an avid reader and enjoyed stories written by Edgar Allen Poe and W. W. Jacobs. His other favorite tales were written by Stephen King, Clive Barker, Ray Bradbury, J. B. Stamper—which he still to this day recollects her terrifying tale “The Furry Collar”—Kurt Vonnegut, Dean Koontz, Charles Dickens, Harper Lee, H.G. Wells, etc. Not long after did he decide to write horror, sci-fi and dark fantasy he began scaring readers such as his parents, his friends, a handful of neighbors, and even leaving a few school teachers scratching their heads wondering if the boy should be committed or not. His very first book was written when he was 9—a mere 100 words, if that, written on index cards and bound together with yarn—which was a follow-up to the movie Rikki Tikki Tavi. From then on short story ideas continued to visit. A book idea or two sometimes stopped by for a sit. And gathering the craft of world building and characterization by posing as a Dungeon Master while playing hours and hours of the game Dungeons and Dragons fed his need. When 2007 arrived, he decided to pursue writing professionally and was able to have The Darkened Image published. Brick Marlin has published 13 novels, over 25 short stories, including a few which has shown up in anthologies such as Dystopian Express released by Hydra Publications.

Nowadays Brick Marlin loves to cast himself as an introvert when writing, staving off the outside world by hiding out in his office. The only thing which sometimes break the invisible force field is the dreaded literary gremlin and its miserable clan of misfits. If you see one, you know there’s more around. Much like that cockroach you notice when you open the kitchen draw of utensils and find out that cockroach has just birthed cockroach babies.

And the best thing to do in those circumstances are to feed the literary creatures Extra Sour Apple-Flavored Fizzle, Pop & Explode Candies Extreme Fizz Series One.

Unless of course you have cockroaches. Then you’ll need an exterminator.

Reviews

[READERSBEWARE · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ⭐️

There’s something uniquely terrifying about abandoned places. They don’t just hold dust—they hold the feeling that something is still waiting inside. Sectors by Brick Marlin captured that childhood fear perfectly for me. What begins as two boys poking around a forgotten house quickly spirals into a nightmare where every doorway feels like a trap and every new Sector hides something that wants you dead. I loved how the story constantly kept me uneasy, never letting me settle into the comfort of knowing what was coming next.

What really hooked me was the relentless sense of dread mixed with wonder. One moment I was fascinated by the strange worlds unfolding around the characters, and the next I was expecting something monstrous to lunge from the shadows. Ghosts, twisted creatures, and impossible landscapes made every chapter feel like wandering deeper into a nightmare that refused to end. Even when the story leaned into adventure, there was always that lingering feeling that survival wasn’t guaranteed, and that tension kept me turning pages long after I meant to stop.

Sectors reminded me why I love horror that isn’t afraid to be imaginative. It doesn’t rely on endless gore or cheap jump scares—it builds fear through the unknown, making every new discovery feel as dangerous as it is exciting. By the time I reached the end, I felt like I’d escaped a haunted labyrinth that could have swallowed me whole. If you’re looking for a horror adventure that blends dark fantasy with eerie mystery and never loses its sense of creeping menace, this is one I’d absolutely recommend.