Tales of Blood and Sulphur: Apocalypse Minor

by J.G. Clay

Eleven Tales steeped in Blood and reeking of Sulphur

J.G Clay takes you on a journey through the voids of Reality and into dark places where demons, mutants and inter-dimensional creatures taunt, taint and corrupt Humanity. Survival is not guaranteed, sanity is not assured and death lurks in every corner. These are the Tales of Blood and Sulphur: Apocalypse Minor; eleven twisted tales of terror and mayhem.....

There are cracks in the skin of Reality. Some are microscopic, others are as wide as a four-lane motorway. As the fault lines increase and widen, the door to our world shines like a beacon in the darkness, a warm and inviting sight to others beyond our understanding. When They cross over into our realm, The Tales begin......

A gambler taking one last desperate throw of the dice. A struggling writer making an unholy alliance. An eternal being fighting to stay alive in the financial capital of India. A man burdened with a terrible town secret. The Law Enforcers who must never cry. The End of Days live and direct from the rural heartland of England.


The blood is warm, the sulphur is burning, the tales will be told, the Apocalypse Minor is imminent!

Genres: Horror

214 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 7, 2014

About the author

Born in the leafy peaceful surroundings of Leamington Spa on Halloween, J.G Clay is se to become the Midlands Master of The Macabre. Now in his early forties and residing in the leafier English county of Northamptonshire, Clay’s boyhood dream of bringing his unique combination of cosmic horror, dark fiction and science fiction to the masses is being realised. With the first volume of ‘The Tales of Blood And Sulphur’ under his belt, he is poised to unleash Gods, Monsters and weird events upon the world. Under Clay’s guidance, the Dark will become a little darker and Horror will go One Step Beyond.
When he is not destroying worlds, J.G likes to spend time with his family and friends, exploring the world of bass guitar, adding to his eclectic collection of music and watching as much geek TV and film as his eyes and brain will allow. He is an avid reader and a long suffering but ultimately optimistic fan of Birmingham City FC.
He hates cucumber, extremists of all stripes and colours and reality TV shows.

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

J.G. Clay is part of a Fantastic Giveaway at Tome Tender! Enter to win THREE eBooks from THREE Talented Authors!

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Do you like to test the limits of your scare factor? How about how strong your sense of imagination is? Isn’t it a kick to actually FEEL what is happening to a character? Only a good writer can take horror and gore beyond images in your mind and make you actually feel them. J.G. Clay and his Tales of Blood and Sulphur: Apocalypse Minor is a bundle of short stories designed to let your inner horror freak run amok through the brains and gore of torture, mutilation and death, or as some might think, the games of demons and other creatures of evil as they try to corrupt humanity. Have you got what it takes to stand up to evil? There are those who thought they did, only to discover they were no match. Feel what they feel as fear soaks through every pore, cheer for those who attempt to fight back and resist.

Watch as a high stakes gambler becomes a pariah among his peers, and find out why. See the reporter fall into the greatest scoop ever, the one that can put him on the track to the big league, if he survives as one grisly farmer claims he has the story of a lifetime in his back yard.

J.G. Clay has a treasure trove of stories just waiting to test your intestinal fortitude and he tells each story in vivid detail. Do NOT misunderstand, there ARE stories here, and they are creepy, they are part of things that linger in the shadows and go bump in the night. Feeling brave? This is well worth the read, but you may be asking yourself, “Is that sulfur I smell?” Leaving the lights on won’t help…not if they have crossed the divide...

I received this copy from the author, J.G. Clay in exchange for my honest review. I have no personal or professional relationship with this author.

Series: The Tales of Blood and Sulphur - Book 1
Publisher: Forsaken
Publication Date: July 20, 2015
ISBN: 1513701991
Genre: Horror
Print Length: 214 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Boundless Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I have to admit, my expectations were low, usually when I read a book of short stories, I expect to get one or two good stories out of it and the rest suck. I was pleasantly surprised with ALL the stories in this book. A wonderful collection of short stories brought together in a terrifyingly beautiful way.

I highly recommend this book to all readers; you will not be disappointed at all. Clay is a true professional writer; 5 Boundless Stars. I’m looking forward to more from him....Beth

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[Duncan Bradshaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Collections aren't really my bag, if I'm being honest, this though, is something a little different. I'd heard bits and pieces about it, even had a quick glimpse at the odd review, but nothing prepares you for the reality of it. Set in Clay's own universe, the setup is rather excellent, and each story, is a new and sparkling jewel on a journey that will undoubtedly keep readers riveted for years to come. Even when it introduces elements of fantasy, folklore or sci-fi, you never feel too lost, which is a testament to his writing style. A wonderful mix of many types of horror, this really was an excellent read, looking forward to the next installment.

[Nev Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

"JG Clay isn’t just a storyteller. He is one of the most intelligent story tellers I have ever read. His words will inspire you. They will make you feel scared, ashamed and emotional. They will make you laugh. They will creep the hell out of you. They will make you think about the world you live in and the world you could live in."

See here for the full review:

Tales of Blood and Sulphur

[Anji · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am going to be honest, as a reader of many, many books over the years and having a wide and varied taste...as with many others I am sure, a person gets a "feeling" for a good writer and as this is JG Clay ' s first book, I will be as objective as I possibly can be. Mr Clay has the makings of a brilliant horror writer in years to come and I am sure that as he hones his trade and improves through confidence in his writing, he has the potential to become a successful writer in this genre. He has a wonderfully diverse imagination and his use of words is clever and highly descriptive, although perhaps a little TOO wordy in parts...The old adage "less is more" is always worth taking note of.

I don't know if all the sources in his stories are original and are conjured from his imagination ie. In terms of Gods, Monsters and Demons. .or rooted in mythologies of the Hindu faith and other cultures, or entirely based on his own imaginings of otherworldly beings, but the way in which he uses them in his stories is highly imaginative and quite terrifying at times. He is indeed paying homage to both Barker and Lovecraft in a few of the stories, but the ones that appeal to me most,are those rooted in popular culture ie.The Writer's Friend, (quite creepy) L.L.T.C (Lucifer Loves The Clash) conjures up amazig imagery of hell, I could actually visualise it as a painting, it was also humorous in parts...the metal heads out there won't like this tale at all!
God Bless George A Romero is another zombie tale that had to be told as it offers a different perspective on the whole humanity against the fall of civilisation rhetoric.

Mr Clay's humour is spot on at times, I found myself laughing aloud as well as grimacing and it takes a lot to make me do that these days... grimace I mean! I feel that he is a writer that I am prepared to follow and although his influences are obvious at times, there is enough originality (and humour) in this book to make me want to read more and to see how Mr Clay develops his craft.

[Dane Cobain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: J. G. Clay is published by Booktrope, the same publisher which released my debut novella, No Rest for the Wicked. I’m also his book manager.

Tales of Blood and Sulphur is J. G. Clay’s debut release, a collection of horror short stories which are “steeped in blood and reeking of sulphur”. As this review is going to be mostly positive, I’ll start with my only negative – in some places, apostrophes were missing, and in other places, they were present when they shouldn’t have been.

Still, that only happened a handful of times throughout the book, and otherwise it was an impressive debut, and at least on a par with some of the other collections of stories that I’ve been reading of late. I particularly enjoyed the way in which the different stories all linked together, with some impressive concepts such as ‘soul death‘ making multiple appearances. It was also cool how the stories were stories within a story, but I think you should read it for yourself if you want to understand what I’m talking about. Overall, this was a cracking debut and I’m looking forward to reading more!

[Darren Dilnott · Rating 5 out of 5]

The phrase Jack of all trade, master of none, is clearly a phrase which means little to J.G Clay (Pardip S. Basra)
He literally swoops in and grabs all my favourite genres; Horror, Post Apocalypse, Zombie Apocalypse & Dystopian, and just creates monster stories.
If Colonel Sanders had the secret recipe for great tasting chicken, then Pardip possesses the 11 essential herbs and spices that spawned the mind blowing tales in his collection of stories, entitled Tales Of Blood And Sulphur.
It's jammed packed with stories so wildly original and sometimes horrifying, yet with a gentle trickle of his wonderful humour.
There's no filler in this book, and the author successfully seeks to use every sentence to achieve something.
Pick a favourite? Almost impossible. My weakness is Zombie Apocalypse so 'God Bless George A. Romero' narrowly edges it. L.L.T.C (Lucifer Love The Clash) is just inspired. It's clever and witty.
But there isn't a story in this book which ranks less than spectacular.

[Rajalakshmi Prithviraj · Rating 3 out of 5]

First and foremost, this book took me way out of my comfort zone. I must admit I am not too fond of horror or stories that give me the chills. But this book was different.

This book is a collection of twelve short stories. Each of them can be read in isolation. Yet, somewhere there was a common thread that ran through each one. If I say that they were similarly dissimilar or dissimilarly similar then I won't be wrong.

Clay has a different style of narrating. In fact, the stories have an inherent tone of fear as a backdrop. The way he has used words to create fear in the minds of readers is commendable. However, there are a few places where he has used slangs and that put me off a bit. It is my personal view, maybe since I am not used to hearing such words hence the hesitation. And that is the reason for reduction of one star. Keeping that aside, each story had the power to create mental imageries. In fact, there were two stories that had me so scared that I had no option but to take time to get over the goosebumps they gave me.

Most of the stories had protagonists who aptly justified their role in their respective stories. There were two stories whose characters appeared weak. But again, maybe they were meant to be so.

To sum up, the book is worth reading. However, these tales of blood and sulphur are gory and violent. Definitely a no-no for young readers and faint hearted people. Read it at your risk and at the cost of losing sleep thanks to the fear you would develop. JG Clay is a writer to watch out especially for fans of horror and paranormal.

P.S - Thank you Dane from Booktrope Publishing for giving me this scary yet really different set of stories.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this is a great set of short stories. It is definitely something that reminds me of the Stephen King short story sets. It is definitely one that I would recommend to others. It has been a while since I read something that was like this. I have been so engrossed in other genres that this was a fresh step in a different direction for me.

This was the author's first book and he hit a home run with it. It says something when an author can do this well with their first book. Usually we don't hear about an author until they get to their third book or so and then we all have to go back and track down the first things they have written. I am glad that I got to read this book and that each story had something to draw me in.

I truly think that we can expect to see some of these stories become something more. I would not be surprised if in years to come we see books and movies coming from these stories. It is definitely something I would read more of or something I would see.

In short, I would recommend this book to all who are into horror/scary stories. Some will make you want to keep the lights on though, because once the lights go out something might get you!


Pros: Great stories, very scary

Cons: I think that the slang was a little much in some areas, too casual

Overall rating: I would recommend this book.

[LadyErynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each story has a theme. The first one deals with luck and fortune, and the consequences that come with such power. The second one details a future in which the homeless and useless are killed for the betterment of society. The third deals with an ancient creature that is the combination of several souls in one body. The fourth deals with the gods displeasure at mankind, and the punishment known as Soul Death that every being fears. The fifth involves a serious case of writers block, and a “friend” who crawls out of the yard to help. The sixth tells the story of a man who has a drink with the Devil, and is offered a deal he can't refuse. The last story is a tale of survival against the dead, and how far one man is willing to go.

Each of these stories take us into a dark and twisted place, forcing us to confront our fears and think about what might be hidden in the darkness.

I am a huge fan of horror novels, and these were no exception! I did find a few technical problems, a few misspelled words and the like, but for the most part they were easy to read. The characters are pretty well-written, and the details take us into new worlds we never knew existed.


I believe each could be expanded into their own, terrifying novels! IF you love horror, check this book out!

[Stace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tales of Blood and Sulphur, is J.G Clay’s debut novel, and what a debut it is!

Now I’m not really a fan of horror books, or movies for that fact, not that I’m frightened by them, I just find most of them too far-fetched, and that bores me. If I want to be scared by something, I want it to seem as realistic as possible, and most of the stories in this book are just that, realistic, and that’s what frightening about them.

If you’re a fan of horror books, or you are just getting yourself into the Halloween spirit, then you are going to be in for a real treat as Clay really knows how to tell a terrifying tale in all it’s blood and gore.

The book comprises of eleven short stories, all horror based, from the classic to zombies, and even aliens. There is a good mixture to sink your teeth into (pun intended)!

The stories, all being short, have a steady pace so you don’t get that lull that you get in full-length novels with a slow middle. This is ‘in your face’ horror, from being to end.

I enjoyed all eleven of the stories and thought each was equally as scary as the next. This is a book to read in the daytime, or you may end up having a nightmarish sleep – you have been warned!!

Reviewed by Stacey at www.whisperingstories.com

[MELODY · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will start by saying this book took me way out of my reading zone. I even should admit that I read some of it underneath my covers so the boogie man couldn't get me. Tales of Blood and Sulphur is a collection of short stories that are somehow threaded together - you will have to read it to find out! Each is creepy, filled with horror and few have a decent sci-fi twist.

For a first delve into writing the book is truly wonderful! J. G. Clay takes you along on the roller coaster that will keep you guessing and make you wonder what goes bump in the night. The stories are separate yet woven together by a small thread that is interesting to follow and figure out.

I will definitely be looking out for more by this author should I need a reason to huddle in my bed and scream when the lights go out. If you are a fan of horror this is definitely one to read.

I am an independent reviewer for Paranormal Romance and Authors that Rock.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is more like a 3 1/2 for me. I didn't love it. I wish I did though. It sounded quite interesting to me. I just couldn't really enjoy the book with the style of writing and story lines just didn't click for me even though they sounded great. Maybe if executed better it would've thrilled me more to read.

This is a book of short horror stories and some were just too rough for me to read in all honesty. It just felt lacking to me. This story did have blood, guts, the Devil and more so I'm sure this will be a great read to most horror readers. Luckily this is only my thoughts on the book while others loved it.

I say give this a try if you want different and out of the box horror I can say for sure it is unique.

[Ashley Tomlinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a set of short stories which I seem to be getting a lot of these days. This was a fantastic set of short stories, though. Some were quite gory but who doesn't like a little bit of gore here and there, I know I do. There were parts that made me laugh and parts that made me cringe and have to walk away for a bit. All of which I found made a great read.

For this to be a first book I am very impressed and really hope to hear more from him. Highly recommend if you want a good scary story.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh good Lord. I'm seriously I'm love with this book. So we'll done, not one of the stories was lacking. I loved all the small Doctor Who references I found, although I'm sure there are some I missed.

There are not enough good things I can say. I will however say, the first story is my favorite, although I also really loved the Mumbai story with Sunil and the Captain.

[Kalwinder Dhindsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A taste of blood and sulphur.

There is no doubt having read this collection of short stories that the author J G Clay is a passionate fan of horror. Every story within the collection is painstakingly well written and researched.

There really are some great reads amongst the collection. The Writer's Friend being a personal favourite.

Dark, weird, strange and twisted.

A fine piece of work

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review coming soon

[Caroline Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of twists and surprises, Tales of Blood and Sulphur is mind-blowing and your head will certainly spin as you endeavour to seek all of the answers you are looking for, and then find yourself lost in another tale. This is definitely a dark, horrific and gory read for the mature reader. With it’s grittiness and violence it certainly has it’s moments of being seemingly real, yet written with profound sci-fi fantasy creativity, thus making for a fantastic dark horror.

With a mystical suspect, Null, being interrogated in the epilogue it soon becomes clear that there is a rare, eerie wisdom about him that gives you the heebie-jeebies. His tales will terrorise you and drive you to insanity. Be warned!

Have you ever sneaked out for a ciggy, looked at a patch on the lawn suspiciously, and found it to have grown with no explanation? Or, maybe you have walked home one evening after a few drinks, cutting across the bleak, dark, desolate park and heard noises – a voice ‘help me’? Then again, maybe you’d prefer to have a pint with the devil, listening to The Clash on the jukebox, and being encouraged to join his dark side whilst in an almost trance-like state? Perhaps you’re trapped in an apartment, with little or no food, caged in by zombies, and you need to leave for a few minutes to get some supplies? Or find yourself in a Dr Who-like scenario with creepily smiling cyborgs, with automated voices set, out to control and intimidate those who go against the new regime. If you don’t conform you won’t want to wait to see what will become of you!

Tales is a disgustingly gory read, with scenes of saliva, mucous, blood and many more bodily fluids having an important role in the horrific action scenes. Brains are squished, bones are cracked and blood runs extremely freely. Heads are taken off, skin is burned by flame and acid-like saliva, organs are shredded. I could go on. For a most frightful read, you may wish to read at night with little light, and you’ll feel the full power of this chilly collection.

I really enjoyed that, aside from the individual eleven tales, there is this running undercurrent throughout all of them. This really weaves each tale together, making for a brilliant, compact all-round read. Tales is written very well with so much information to take in and various situations with alien lifeforms, cyborgs, zombies and more. It is a read that fans of this genre will love as I am sure that there will be so much more to realise about each story with every read. It is definitely a keeper for any mature bookshelf, and one to be read again and again.

[Kevin Goddard · Rating 4 out of 5]

First up, a confession. Quite frankly, my reference points for this genre of fiction are nigh on zero. I've never really done the horror/scifi thang in a literary way, so can't really comment on how original/derivative etc this is (though I can kind of make up for that on the film side of things). So, what have we got here - essentially, a collection of short stories that are extremely good fun to read. There's at least 3 or 4 that really stand out (Night on the Beach, one dystopian fantasy about a religion-controlled Brave New World, Lucifer Loves The Clash and a George A Romero inspired zombie-fest) - many of them seem to have more than enough ideas to develop into full length novels. There are a couple that were rather lost on me, but that's more down to my inability to "get" scifi/fantasy in a literary setting than any "fault" of the author.

On The Beach has a great premise, very much in the Hellraiser tradition - object proffered by a mysterious third party (in this case a weaselly little character that immediately brought a minor Blade Runner character to mind) that has all kinds of unsavoury consequences. Makes for a great short story but you get the sense it would really benefit from being a full novel, given the number and range of ideas in evidence.

The dystopian fantasy with Pastor John, a high ranking cleric in a Brave New World inspired autocracy, is another story that could benefit from full novel status. There's a clear comparison with Huxley's classic, but with hints of Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro as well.

Lucifer Loves The Clash certainly turns a regular night out at the pub into something far more interesting! Really good fun and quite possibly the best in terms of feeling like a short story that isn't constrained by the format.

The final Romero inspired piece is again great fun, and another that could quite easily develop into a full blown novel.

All in all there's some cracking stuff here - didn't really know what to expect, but looking forward to more of it!

[D.M. Cain · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book of short horror stories is both chilling and entertaining. Each story was unique and the collection contains a bit of everything – the occult, the walking dead, organ harvesters and even the devil himself. The writing is absolutely fantastic and J.G. Clay has a real talent for describing horror. Whether blood and guts, eerie and mysterious or downright psychologically horrifying, this guy can weave a truly mesmerising scene that leaves the reader desperate for more.

For me, On The Beach and The Writer’s Friend are the best in the collection. On The Beach held me gripped throughout and I loved the idea of playing games with evil forces that could take hold of your soul and destroy everyone and everything around you. The Writer’s Friend was one of those stories where I had my nose screwed up with horror and repulsion at certain parts, it was so vivid, but it was such a fantastic plot that I think it will stay with me for a long time. The description of the devil in Lucifer Loves The Clash was brilliant and again gave me a perfect mental image of the prince of darkness.

My only criticism would be the slangy, casual tone of the book in some parts, which I feel diluted the poignancy of certain stories. Occasionally there are comments or thoughts by characters which appear to be clearly the voice of the author and that took me out of the scene a little. But I was soon thrown right back in by the quality of writing. Maybe the casual tone was just something I’m not used to – for another reader who is used to this style, maybe they wouldn't bat an eyelid. Overall, I was very impressed by this debut book and I love forward to the author’s next book: The Carnival of Monsters.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tales of blood and sulphur is a great collection of stories.  In the story Legally Dead we learn how the church treats those less fortunate, those alone and without family. In This fear of Gods shows us how insignificant we really are.  The Writer's Friend is a vividly creepy tale and made me shiver. I had to shake my head and get back to reality before continuing on. In Lucifer Loves the Clash we are entertained by JG's view of the devil and one mans time spent with him. This is very good story and highly entertaining.  Last but certainly not least is God bless George A. Romero its a great short zombie tale of one mans last days.  Every good collection needs a zombie story and I loved this one. Each story I found better than the last, leaving me eagerly waiting JG Clay's next book.

[Istiningdyah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Tales of Blood and Sulphur is a collection of short stories centered on the theme of the supernatural and human corruption. It opens with two men interrogating a Middle Eastern man whose name is Null. At the interrogation, Null offers to tell stories as he claims to be a story teller. One of the men, decided to take up on his offer. Then Null begins to tell stories, which later known as the tales of blood and sulphur. This is actually the premise that kind of ties up the stories in this book.
Full review here

[Chuck Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this book. It is a great read, and while it carries its influences on its sleeve, it has its own voice. Mr. Clay has created at continuum that I cannot wait to visit again. The stories are all stand alone yet all tie into each other with an easy deftness that I don't see very often. I cannot recommend this book enough. Get this and immerse yourself in the world of the Onmiverse...gods, battles, aliens(?), and tales of blood and sulfur. What more could you want?

[Teri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Although horror and gore are not my normal genre I pushed thru and there is a lot of gore to push thru. This book of short stories takes you through a vast array of stories that stretch the imagination. I would have given it a 3.5 if I could have because the stories were good. The stuff nightmares are made of.

[VNerdbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whoop whoop!

[Chrissy Dyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

J.G. Clay gives us a collection of Horror stories that will make your hair stand on end. Do not read this book alone or in the dark! LOL

[Laura Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review to follow