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Blood Sacrifices
"Brian Moreland writes a blend of survival horror and occult mystery that I find impossible to resist. I know, when I've got one of his books in my hands, that I'm going to be lost to the world for hours on end. He's just that good." -Joe McKinney, author of Dead City and Flesh Eaters.
"A thrilling, wholly-engrossing read that masterfully crosses multiple genres and leaves the reader breathless. Moreland weaves one hell of a history lesson, rich with brilliant characters and incredible plot twists. Highly recommended!" -Brian Keene, bestselling author of The Last Zombie and Ghoul, on reviewing Dead of Winter.
Some evils require sacrifices. From the author of Dead of Winter and The Devil's Woods come four tales of blood-tingling horror. The Girl from the Blood Coven: In this short prequel to The Witching House, when Abigail Blackwood claims her hippy commune family has been massacred, Sheriff Travis Keagan and his deputies investigate. They discover there's more than weed smoking going on at Blevins House. Much more. The Witching House: Sarah Donovan is scared of just about everything, but she helps her adventurous boyfriend investigate the old, abandoned Blevins House, scene of a forty-year-old unsolved massacre. Little do they know the house is hungry for fresh prey... Darkness Rising: When Marty Weaver encounters three killers who like to play sadistic games with their victims, his own scarred past is unearthed. And when his pain is triggered, blood will flow...and hell will rise. The Vagrants: Beneath the city of Boston, evil is gathering. While living under a bridge with the homeless, journalist Daniel Finley witnessed something that nearly cost him his sanity. Now, with a book published about the experience, he's caught between the Irish mafia and a deranged cult preparing to shed blood on the street.
"A thrilling, wholly-engrossing read that masterfully crosses multiple genres and leaves the reader breathless. Moreland weaves one hell of a history lesson, rich with brilliant characters and incredible plot twists. Highly recommended!" -Brian Keene, bestselling author of The Last Zombie and Ghoul, on reviewing Dead of Winter.
Some evils require sacrifices. From the author of Dead of Winter and The Devil's Woods come four tales of blood-tingling horror. The Girl from the Blood Coven: In this short prequel to The Witching House, when Abigail Blackwood claims her hippy commune family has been massacred, Sheriff Travis Keagan and his deputies investigate. They discover there's more than weed smoking going on at Blevins House. Much more. The Witching House: Sarah Donovan is scared of just about everything, but she helps her adventurous boyfriend investigate the old, abandoned Blevins House, scene of a forty-year-old unsolved massacre. Little do they know the house is hungry for fresh prey... Darkness Rising: When Marty Weaver encounters three killers who like to play sadistic games with their victims, his own scarred past is unearthed. And when his pain is triggered, blood will flow...and hell will rise. The Vagrants: Beneath the city of Boston, evil is gathering. While living under a bridge with the homeless, journalist Daniel Finley witnessed something that nearly cost him his sanity. Now, with a book published about the experience, he's caught between the Irish mafia and a deranged cult preparing to shed blood on the street.
- GenresHorror
282 pages, Paperback
First published April 5, 2016
7 people are currently reading
103 people want to read
About the author
Brian Moreland
41 books242 followersBrian Moreland writes dark suspense, thrillers, and horror. He's an avid reader and big fan of movies and series. A native Texan, Brian loves to cook, go hiking in nature, and travel to interesting places around the world. He is enjoying life with family in rural Texas and writing new thrilling fiction. His books include:
THE DEVIL'S WOODS
TOMB OF GODS
THEY STALK THE NIGHT
SAVAGE ISLAND
SHADOWS IN THE MIST
BLOOD SACRIFICES: THREE HORROR NOVELLAS:
THE WITCHING HOUSE
DARKNESS RISING
THE SEEKERS
Friend Brian on Goodreads
Follow on Twitter/X @BrianMoreland
THE DEVIL'S WOODS
TOMB OF GODS
THEY STALK THE NIGHT
SAVAGE ISLAND
SHADOWS IN THE MIST
BLOOD SACRIFICES: THREE HORROR NOVELLAS:
THE WITCHING HOUSE
DARKNESS RISING
THE SEEKERS
Friend Brian on Goodreads
Follow on Twitter/X @BrianMoreland
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 31, 2023
3.5 stars.
An interesting collection of three horror novellas, plus a short prologue to the first novella.
This was my first time reading Brian Moreland and I'm happy to say it was an enjoyable reading experience.
Overall this was a good collection of stories, helped along by Moreland's simple yet effective writing style, which helped drive the narrative of each tale along at a good pace.
Of the three novellas, my favourite was the first of them, The Witching House. As far as short stories go this is up there with some of the best and kept me engrossed from start to finish.
As for the other stories. They were good but not quite up to the standard of the first.
I'll be interested in reading some more of this author's work in the future.
A diverse collection of stories which is well worth checking out!
An interesting collection of three horror novellas, plus a short prologue to the first novella.
This was my first time reading Brian Moreland and I'm happy to say it was an enjoyable reading experience.
Overall this was a good collection of stories, helped along by Moreland's simple yet effective writing style, which helped drive the narrative of each tale along at a good pace.
Of the three novellas, my favourite was the first of them, The Witching House. As far as short stories go this is up there with some of the best and kept me engrossed from start to finish.
As for the other stories. They were good but not quite up to the standard of the first.
I'll be interested in reading some more of this author's work in the future.
A diverse collection of stories which is well worth checking out!
April 25, 2016
4.5 Stars!
BLOOD SACRIFICES, by Brian Moreland is a collection of three novellas, and one short story that serves as a prequel to the first novella. By the time I had come across this collection, I had previously read two of Moreland’s novels, and one novella. I can honestly say that I have yet to come across something from this author that I didn’t enjoy. Moreland has a fluid writing style that appears to be getting stronger with each new release. His attention to atmospheric details quickly draws the reader into the storyline, creating a vivid background that often acts as a “character” itself. Personally, I feel that this is one of his greatest strengths, along with his unique, imaginative plot-lines.
The first story presented is “The Girl From the Blood Coven”. In the year 1972, Sheriff Travis Keagan has finished his shift for the night, and is taking in a Rangers game at the local bar. Without warning, a girl walks in–covered head to toe in blood that is NOT her own. Her cryptic words: “They’re all dead” , lead Keagan and a deputy to the Blevins House–reputed home to a coven of witches.
What Sheriff Keagan finds there is something nobody could have anticipated.
” . . . when you mess with the devil, it can only end up bad.”
I absolutely loved this short story that serves as a prequel to Moreland’s novella, THE WITCHING HOUSE! The tension builds steadily to the horrifying climax.
The second selection naturally following is the novella, THE WITCHING HOUSE. When two couples go exploring in the old, reputed haunted Blevins House, they’re expecting to find nothing more than a dilapidated building to film, or maybe some leftover antiques rotting away in some of the three-story building’s rooms. Their guide, a local “thrill hunter” named Ronnie, works for the house’s caretaker, Otis Blevins. He assures them that they will be able to explore, completely undisturbed. (NOTE: It’s never a great idea to go into a place that housed dozens of homicides within its tainted walls–especially when you’re trespassing and haven’t told a soul about your destination.)
What Brian Moreland began in his short story “The Girl From the Blood Coven”, goes into frightening new details as the full story behind that fateful night unfolds. For the evil that was born is still awake . . .
. . . And still so very hungry–
Moreland let this story be told throughout the entire course of the novella–not by dumping the entire plot in a one-sitting conversation. His descriptions of the house and noxious mold within were vivid enough for me to feel as though I were walking through the house with the “Urban Explorers”. The sense of foreboding begins immediately, and steadily builds as the novella goes on.
There were a couple of character thoughts and emotions that I felt were out of place in the situation involving them, but other than those, I felt it was a solid read with a conclusion that I was only able to partially predict.
The third story is Moreland’s DARKNESS RISING. This novella had it all: blood, torture, revenge, and so many “grisly” surprises that I can’t give away without spoiling the plot. After a fantastic prologue, I did have doubts as to how the rest of the book would measure up. However, this one had so many horrifying twists, that I wasn’t able to predict the ultimate ending–something that is becoming increasingly rare. Moreland scored high points with me on this one!
The main character, Marty Weaver, is a man you can’t help but feel for. Following a tragedy at the age of nine, his life was spent with abusive foster homes and constant bullying that seemed to follow him, even as he grew and began working minimum wage jobs. His only solace was found by writing poetry in a private journal. “Poetry has an invisible power that transcends the soul.”
Never did I imagine how true this was!
While I first thought of this as another “feel sorry for the poor boy” type of book, I couldn’t have been more mistaken. While that element is present, it’s only a small part of the places Brian Moreland’s words will take you to.
These are NOT the kind of places that you’d ever want to go . . . .
This is probably my favorite story in the collection!
The final novella here is THE VAGRANTS. Daniel Finley, a journalist, goes undercover as one of the many homeless in order to observe their lives, firsthand, for a book he plans on writing.
“My name is Daniel Finley, and I am not one of them” , is the mantra he would secretly scribble in his journal each day. After a charismatic stranger–covered in odd tattoo designs–enters their “community”, he begins preaching to the others. He called himself Mordecai, and soon had every man and woman in the area moving on to be part of his “cult”.
The release of Daniel’s book finds him once more being led back to Mordecai and his followers–and on his other side, the Irish Mafia boss, Drake O’Malley, demanding payment owed him by Daniel’s elderly father. The situations and environments in this novella were truly frightening–especially the scenes in underground, abandoned subway tunnels. The fanatical Mordecai with his talk of an apocalypse that would bring out flesh eating demons was mesmerizing!
My only minor complaints in this novella were that the rest of the characters–especially Daniel’s girlfriend, Connie–felt two-dimensional in comparison to the main character. Also, several comments/situations were unnecessarily pointed out repetitiously that did nothing to add to, or advance the plot in any way.
Aside from this, I found THE VAGRANTS–especially the last half–to be a nerve wracking journey between a known evil (Drake O’Malley), and an unknown, even more sinister one.
Brian Moreland is an emerging talent that is on my “must-read” list with each new release. This collection is a fantastic way to sample some of his writing and originality, all in one place.
Highly recommended!
BLOOD SACRIFICES, by Brian Moreland is a collection of three novellas, and one short story that serves as a prequel to the first novella. By the time I had come across this collection, I had previously read two of Moreland’s novels, and one novella. I can honestly say that I have yet to come across something from this author that I didn’t enjoy. Moreland has a fluid writing style that appears to be getting stronger with each new release. His attention to atmospheric details quickly draws the reader into the storyline, creating a vivid background that often acts as a “character” itself. Personally, I feel that this is one of his greatest strengths, along with his unique, imaginative plot-lines.
The first story presented is “The Girl From the Blood Coven”. In the year 1972, Sheriff Travis Keagan has finished his shift for the night, and is taking in a Rangers game at the local bar. Without warning, a girl walks in–covered head to toe in blood that is NOT her own. Her cryptic words: “They’re all dead” , lead Keagan and a deputy to the Blevins House–reputed home to a coven of witches.
What Sheriff Keagan finds there is something nobody could have anticipated.
” . . . when you mess with the devil, it can only end up bad.”
I absolutely loved this short story that serves as a prequel to Moreland’s novella, THE WITCHING HOUSE! The tension builds steadily to the horrifying climax.
The second selection naturally following is the novella, THE WITCHING HOUSE. When two couples go exploring in the old, reputed haunted Blevins House, they’re expecting to find nothing more than a dilapidated building to film, or maybe some leftover antiques rotting away in some of the three-story building’s rooms. Their guide, a local “thrill hunter” named Ronnie, works for the house’s caretaker, Otis Blevins. He assures them that they will be able to explore, completely undisturbed. (NOTE: It’s never a great idea to go into a place that housed dozens of homicides within its tainted walls–especially when you’re trespassing and haven’t told a soul about your destination.)
What Brian Moreland began in his short story “The Girl From the Blood Coven”, goes into frightening new details as the full story behind that fateful night unfolds. For the evil that was born is still awake . . .
. . . And still so very hungry–
Moreland let this story be told throughout the entire course of the novella–not by dumping the entire plot in a one-sitting conversation. His descriptions of the house and noxious mold within were vivid enough for me to feel as though I were walking through the house with the “Urban Explorers”. The sense of foreboding begins immediately, and steadily builds as the novella goes on.
There were a couple of character thoughts and emotions that I felt were out of place in the situation involving them, but other than those, I felt it was a solid read with a conclusion that I was only able to partially predict.
The third story is Moreland’s DARKNESS RISING. This novella had it all: blood, torture, revenge, and so many “grisly” surprises that I can’t give away without spoiling the plot. After a fantastic prologue, I did have doubts as to how the rest of the book would measure up. However, this one had so many horrifying twists, that I wasn’t able to predict the ultimate ending–something that is becoming increasingly rare. Moreland scored high points with me on this one!
The main character, Marty Weaver, is a man you can’t help but feel for. Following a tragedy at the age of nine, his life was spent with abusive foster homes and constant bullying that seemed to follow him, even as he grew and began working minimum wage jobs. His only solace was found by writing poetry in a private journal. “Poetry has an invisible power that transcends the soul.”
Never did I imagine how true this was!
While I first thought of this as another “feel sorry for the poor boy” type of book, I couldn’t have been more mistaken. While that element is present, it’s only a small part of the places Brian Moreland’s words will take you to.
These are NOT the kind of places that you’d ever want to go . . . .
This is probably my favorite story in the collection!
The final novella here is THE VAGRANTS. Daniel Finley, a journalist, goes undercover as one of the many homeless in order to observe their lives, firsthand, for a book he plans on writing.
“My name is Daniel Finley, and I am not one of them” , is the mantra he would secretly scribble in his journal each day. After a charismatic stranger–covered in odd tattoo designs–enters their “community”, he begins preaching to the others. He called himself Mordecai, and soon had every man and woman in the area moving on to be part of his “cult”.
The release of Daniel’s book finds him once more being led back to Mordecai and his followers–and on his other side, the Irish Mafia boss, Drake O’Malley, demanding payment owed him by Daniel’s elderly father. The situations and environments in this novella were truly frightening–especially the scenes in underground, abandoned subway tunnels. The fanatical Mordecai with his talk of an apocalypse that would bring out flesh eating demons was mesmerizing!
My only minor complaints in this novella were that the rest of the characters–especially Daniel’s girlfriend, Connie–felt two-dimensional in comparison to the main character. Also, several comments/situations were unnecessarily pointed out repetitiously that did nothing to add to, or advance the plot in any way.
Aside from this, I found THE VAGRANTS–especially the last half–to be a nerve wracking journey between a known evil (Drake O’Malley), and an unknown, even more sinister one.
Brian Moreland is an emerging talent that is on my “must-read” list with each new release. This collection is a fantastic way to sample some of his writing and originality, all in one place.
Highly recommended!
December 18, 2022
This is a collection of 3 novellas by Brian Moreland (someone whose other works I'll be seeking out as soon as I post this review). First off let me say that I had SO much freaking fun reading this book/books. Each novella had great characterization and very fleshed out stories. Not once did I find myself getting bored and at times I had to forcefully put the book down due to oh you know life and all that jazz. Im going to breifly break down each novella but for those looking for a quick review then I say READ THIS BOOK if you're a lover of horror, suspense, gore, thrilling moments and even a VERY well done romance and some wonderfully well written poetry.
Now I'll briefly go over each novella and what I liked about them with maybe one or two nit picks
"The witching house"
A group of ghost hunters go to a local legend haunted house and get MUCH more than they bargained for. Now this is my kind of "scary house" story. Fast paced, bloody, and I couldn't put it down once I started. Oh and it starts with a freaking BANG and let's off the gas just long enough for you to get your bearings back before revving the engine to the red line again.
"The seekers "
This was my third favorite of the three stories but that isn't a bad thing. I absolutely loved the spotlight that was shown on the lives of the homeless and how us everyday folk tend to think of them as lower than ourselves aand sometimes even less than that. The seekers themselves I wasn't the biggest fan if asni felt more time could have been spent on what they're obsessed with and not the leader Mordecai. But all in all I liked this story and the Irish mafia bits I also really enjoyed.
"Darkness Rising"
My favorite story in this collection. This story had me feeling ALL the feels. Pain. Anger. Happiness. Love. Sadness. I'm not afraid to admit I cried like a baby towards the end. This story has it all. Tension out the wazoo, gore, a romance that was very well done and very sparsely used not forced AT ALL. If you pick this up and only read one story make it this one.
This was a wild read and such a fun time. I want to thank Netgalley and the author for the chance to read this book for an honest review. What are you waiting for go read this book! A solid 4.5 star rounding up to 5 for goodreads
Now I'll briefly go over each novella and what I liked about them with maybe one or two nit picks
"The witching house"
A group of ghost hunters go to a local legend haunted house and get MUCH more than they bargained for. Now this is my kind of "scary house" story. Fast paced, bloody, and I couldn't put it down once I started. Oh and it starts with a freaking BANG and let's off the gas just long enough for you to get your bearings back before revving the engine to the red line again.
"The seekers "
This was my third favorite of the three stories but that isn't a bad thing. I absolutely loved the spotlight that was shown on the lives of the homeless and how us everyday folk tend to think of them as lower than ourselves aand sometimes even less than that. The seekers themselves I wasn't the biggest fan if asni felt more time could have been spent on what they're obsessed with and not the leader Mordecai. But all in all I liked this story and the Irish mafia bits I also really enjoyed.
"Darkness Rising"
My favorite story in this collection. This story had me feeling ALL the feels. Pain. Anger. Happiness. Love. Sadness. I'm not afraid to admit I cried like a baby towards the end. This story has it all. Tension out the wazoo, gore, a romance that was very well done and very sparsely used not forced AT ALL. If you pick this up and only read one story make it this one.
This was a wild read and such a fun time. I want to thank Netgalley and the author for the chance to read this book for an honest review. What are you waiting for go read this book! A solid 4.5 star rounding up to 5 for goodreads
December 20, 2022
When this gorgeous cover passed through my feed it grabbed hold of me like a magnet. I have previously read one novel and a short story by Brian Moreland and enjoyed them both, so I knew I could settle into Blood Sacrifices for a good gory time. I didn't even stop to read the synopsis, I just looked at the cover and dove right in.
The book opens with a prequel to The Witching House and sets the stage perfectly for the blood-soaked tale to follow. When urban explorers arrive to the old Blevins house they will learn the hard way that just because a building is abandoned does not mean there isn't something that still lives there.
Some of the language was a bit cringe worthy but it still managed to be my favorite.
The Seekers is about Daniel, an undercover journalist who lives with the homeless while gathering material for a book, and the aftermath when he has written it. To be honest this one was just not for me. I was into it at first but I lost interest in the parts about the mafia.
Darkness Rising is an ugly and ultra violent story of abuse, torture, and revenge. Poor Marty just wants a friend or someone to love, any bit of kindness would be welcome. Instead, his one chance at love is ruined by three maniacs who kill for fun and profit, and they will be very sorry that they ever crossed his path. Marty is a character that I felt a lot of sympathy for even when he went from sweet to psycho. You'll need a strong stomach for this one.
The book opens with a prequel to The Witching House and sets the stage perfectly for the blood-soaked tale to follow. When urban explorers arrive to the old Blevins house they will learn the hard way that just because a building is abandoned does not mean there isn't something that still lives there.
Some of the language was a bit cringe worthy but it still managed to be my favorite.
The Seekers is about Daniel, an undercover journalist who lives with the homeless while gathering material for a book, and the aftermath when he has written it. To be honest this one was just not for me. I was into it at first but I lost interest in the parts about the mafia.
Darkness Rising is an ugly and ultra violent story of abuse, torture, and revenge. Poor Marty just wants a friend or someone to love, any bit of kindness would be welcome. Instead, his one chance at love is ruined by three maniacs who kill for fun and profit, and they will be very sorry that they ever crossed his path. Marty is a character that I felt a lot of sympathy for even when he went from sweet to psycho. You'll need a strong stomach for this one.
April 25, 2016
Blood Sacrifices, the new collection from Samhain Publishing, isn't my first go round with the work of Brian Moreland. In fact two of the three novellas collected here The Witching House and Darkness Rising, as well as the short story, The Girl from the Blood Coven, are some of the previous stories I've read by Brian. I've reviewed Darkness Rising before so I'm not going to talk too much about that one here. Suffice it to say I got a great deal of enjoyment out of that book, as I have out of all of Moreland's work.
As is my wont, I'm not going to synopsize this thing here. It would take up way too much space and I couldn't do it any better than the one that's posted on Amazon. That full synopsis is pasted in at the end of this review if you want to read it. What I am going to do is tell you why I enjoyed every story in this book, not to mention the previous work I've read by Moreland.
If you asked me to tell you what is the common thread that makes all of Brian's stories work, what makes them satisfying and entertaining every time, I can sum it up in three alliterative words. Fast. Fun. Freaky. You don't sit down to a Brian Moreland story and savor it in small bites, you devour it. Whether it's a voraciously hungry, carnivorous haunted house as in The Girl From the Blood Coven/The Witching House, or a blood thirsty cult and ancient gods as in The Vagrants, Moreland brings the blood and the action in healthy, unceasing doses.
"The house that ate people stood within a coven of pine trees like an ancient god being worshipped. The high branches touched its shingled roof with reverence. Towering three stories, the rock house was far from being a flawless god. The moss-covered stones that cobbled its walls were pocked from years of rot and abandon. Fungus and creeper vines had spread across its facade, leafy tentacles invading cracks where boards covered the windows. The glass within their frames had long ago shattered."
That opening hook to The Witching House is typical of Moreland's captivating voice and informal, almost conversational style. He moves his stories along at a steady, sometimes dizzying clip, much of his work seeming like one long string of action scenes and interesting dialogue that helps to keep you invested in the story. And that paragraph quoted above isn't unique. Every book he writes is rife with that kind of engaging, hard to walk away from prose that Brian is so proficient at. As a sampling of his consistency, consider the following two samples, starting with the intro to The Vagrants:
"The darkness beneath Boston was calling him. No one walking along Tremont Street seemed to hear the whispers coming from the grates and gutters, but Rex Rigby heard them. Their raspy voices sounded like a dozen people whispering all at once. He cupped his hands over ears, but it didn’t stop the madness. They had chosen him. And they weren’t going to quit until he joined them in the cold, black core of the earth."
and again, from the beginning paragraph of Darkness Rising (from the prologue):
"Deep in the Oregon woods, the lake watched in silence as the woman crawled across the muddy banks, dragging her wounded legs. A switchblade jutted from the back of one thigh. Moonlight glinted off the exposed bone of her hip. Hair, caked with blood and dirt, clung to the woman’s face as she clawed her way into the shallow water. She found her husband, or what was left of him, floating facedown near the shore. Hugging his butchered torso, she wailed, an animal cry that echoed across the valley."
Moreland writes with cinematic flair, peppering his work with strong visuals and edge-of-your-seat action. And his characters, in both The Witching House and The Vagrants, are outstanding, fully developed and real. I loved Sarah in The Witching House, her seemingly frail, timid personality shielding a toughness inside reminiscent of final girls like Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) from Halloween and Nancy (Heather Langenkamp) from Nightmare on Elm Street. And it's true of pretty much all Moreland's work that the combined elements of non-stop action and excellent characterization are what drives his stories and keeps you invested in them.
As it turns out, my favorite story in this collection is the only one I hadn't previously read, The Vagrants. While all the stories are fantastic, this one is a cut above. The protagonist, Daniel Finley, is remarkably well developed and the story is horrifying on two different fronts. One is the strange cult that is trying to pressure Daniel into joining them, and the other is the Irish mob that is threatening to do harm to him and his loved ones if he doesn't meet their demands. This story stands out as my favorite for the simple fact that it is such an incredibly chilling tale it had me on the edge of my seat throughout. Add in a healthy dose of elder gods and you have one hell of a good horror story.
If you're looking for deep thinking, literary horror, Brian Moreland's books aren't for you. But if you're looking for balls to the wall action, characters you care about, and horrifying scenarios, you need look no further than the work of Brian Moreland. Blood Sacrifices is an excellent sampling of Brian's work and the first book I would recommend as a starting point if you're starting to read him for the first time. Definitely check out this fantastic, fast-paced collection and follow the links below to check out all of Moreland's work.
As is my wont, I'm not going to synopsize this thing here. It would take up way too much space and I couldn't do it any better than the one that's posted on Amazon. That full synopsis is pasted in at the end of this review if you want to read it. What I am going to do is tell you why I enjoyed every story in this book, not to mention the previous work I've read by Moreland.
If you asked me to tell you what is the common thread that makes all of Brian's stories work, what makes them satisfying and entertaining every time, I can sum it up in three alliterative words. Fast. Fun. Freaky. You don't sit down to a Brian Moreland story and savor it in small bites, you devour it. Whether it's a voraciously hungry, carnivorous haunted house as in The Girl From the Blood Coven/The Witching House, or a blood thirsty cult and ancient gods as in The Vagrants, Moreland brings the blood and the action in healthy, unceasing doses.
"The house that ate people stood within a coven of pine trees like an ancient god being worshipped. The high branches touched its shingled roof with reverence. Towering three stories, the rock house was far from being a flawless god. The moss-covered stones that cobbled its walls were pocked from years of rot and abandon. Fungus and creeper vines had spread across its facade, leafy tentacles invading cracks where boards covered the windows. The glass within their frames had long ago shattered."
That opening hook to The Witching House is typical of Moreland's captivating voice and informal, almost conversational style. He moves his stories along at a steady, sometimes dizzying clip, much of his work seeming like one long string of action scenes and interesting dialogue that helps to keep you invested in the story. And that paragraph quoted above isn't unique. Every book he writes is rife with that kind of engaging, hard to walk away from prose that Brian is so proficient at. As a sampling of his consistency, consider the following two samples, starting with the intro to The Vagrants:
"The darkness beneath Boston was calling him. No one walking along Tremont Street seemed to hear the whispers coming from the grates and gutters, but Rex Rigby heard them. Their raspy voices sounded like a dozen people whispering all at once. He cupped his hands over ears, but it didn’t stop the madness. They had chosen him. And they weren’t going to quit until he joined them in the cold, black core of the earth."
and again, from the beginning paragraph of Darkness Rising (from the prologue):
"Deep in the Oregon woods, the lake watched in silence as the woman crawled across the muddy banks, dragging her wounded legs. A switchblade jutted from the back of one thigh. Moonlight glinted off the exposed bone of her hip. Hair, caked with blood and dirt, clung to the woman’s face as she clawed her way into the shallow water. She found her husband, or what was left of him, floating facedown near the shore. Hugging his butchered torso, she wailed, an animal cry that echoed across the valley."
Moreland writes with cinematic flair, peppering his work with strong visuals and edge-of-your-seat action. And his characters, in both The Witching House and The Vagrants, are outstanding, fully developed and real. I loved Sarah in The Witching House, her seemingly frail, timid personality shielding a toughness inside reminiscent of final girls like Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) from Halloween and Nancy (Heather Langenkamp) from Nightmare on Elm Street. And it's true of pretty much all Moreland's work that the combined elements of non-stop action and excellent characterization are what drives his stories and keeps you invested in them.
As it turns out, my favorite story in this collection is the only one I hadn't previously read, The Vagrants. While all the stories are fantastic, this one is a cut above. The protagonist, Daniel Finley, is remarkably well developed and the story is horrifying on two different fronts. One is the strange cult that is trying to pressure Daniel into joining them, and the other is the Irish mob that is threatening to do harm to him and his loved ones if he doesn't meet their demands. This story stands out as my favorite for the simple fact that it is such an incredibly chilling tale it had me on the edge of my seat throughout. Add in a healthy dose of elder gods and you have one hell of a good horror story.
If you're looking for deep thinking, literary horror, Brian Moreland's books aren't for you. But if you're looking for balls to the wall action, characters you care about, and horrifying scenarios, you need look no further than the work of Brian Moreland. Blood Sacrifices is an excellent sampling of Brian's work and the first book I would recommend as a starting point if you're starting to read him for the first time. Definitely check out this fantastic, fast-paced collection and follow the links below to check out all of Moreland's work.
April 9, 2016
Blood Sacrifices by Brian Moreland is the first book I’ve read by this author and as an anthology of his work, seemed like a good place to start. All four stories were previously published as single novellas, so it’s new to me but not new in general. This is so all of those people who buy this and then complain that it’s false advertising because they have already read all of the stories, that’s so I can tell you that “I told you so.”
The Girl from the Blood Coven: A short prequel to The Witching House. It is indeed very short but I thought it was a great introduction to the next story. When a hippie woman shows up at the local bar covered in blood claiming there has been a massacre at her commune, the sheriff finds there are worse things out there than a murderer on the loose…
The Witching House: Two couples go on an urban exploration trip into the middle of the sticks to explore the site of a massacre that happened 40 years ago and that was never solved. Casey and Meg (newlyweds) and Dean are old hats at urban exploring but Sarah, Dean’s girlfriend, is just along to impress him and wholly unprepared – before the house starts to take on a life of its own.
Darkness Rising: This was the only story that I wasn’t very fond of. Three people like to dress up in animal costumes and torture people to death. They also like to film it for fun and for their client who wants creativity in his killings. Marty Weaver is a (disturbed) janitor at a college that he someday hopes to attend and has an unrequited crush on one of the students. When the animal trio happens upon Marty, they are no match for the demons he has been storing up. This one reads more like a YA novel to me.
The Vagrants: My personal favorite. Daniel Finley, a journalist, decides to live amongst the homeless in order to write a piece spotlighting the plight of the city’s least fortunate. All is well, as well as being homeless can be, until a group of homeless who call themselves the “Seekers” materialize one day in their camp. Fast forward two years and Daniel has now written a book about his time underground but the experience still haunts him. When the Irish Mafia ends up shoving him back into the path of the now expanded and now violent group of Seekers, Daniel will have to choose between the lesser of the two evils.
This was overall a good collection from an author whom I will definitely be keeping an eye out for from now on. I enjoy Brian Moreland’s writing style and his intense imagination. If On the Lips of Children didn’t instill a fear of homeless people in me, The Vagrants has absolutely nailed that home. I can’t wait to read more by this author.
The Girl from the Blood Coven: A short prequel to The Witching House. It is indeed very short but I thought it was a great introduction to the next story. When a hippie woman shows up at the local bar covered in blood claiming there has been a massacre at her commune, the sheriff finds there are worse things out there than a murderer on the loose…
The Witching House: Two couples go on an urban exploration trip into the middle of the sticks to explore the site of a massacre that happened 40 years ago and that was never solved. Casey and Meg (newlyweds) and Dean are old hats at urban exploring but Sarah, Dean’s girlfriend, is just along to impress him and wholly unprepared – before the house starts to take on a life of its own.
Darkness Rising: This was the only story that I wasn’t very fond of. Three people like to dress up in animal costumes and torture people to death. They also like to film it for fun and for their client who wants creativity in his killings. Marty Weaver is a (disturbed) janitor at a college that he someday hopes to attend and has an unrequited crush on one of the students. When the animal trio happens upon Marty, they are no match for the demons he has been storing up. This one reads more like a YA novel to me.
The Vagrants: My personal favorite. Daniel Finley, a journalist, decides to live amongst the homeless in order to write a piece spotlighting the plight of the city’s least fortunate. All is well, as well as being homeless can be, until a group of homeless who call themselves the “Seekers” materialize one day in their camp. Fast forward two years and Daniel has now written a book about his time underground but the experience still haunts him. When the Irish Mafia ends up shoving him back into the path of the now expanded and now violent group of Seekers, Daniel will have to choose between the lesser of the two evils.
This was overall a good collection from an author whom I will definitely be keeping an eye out for from now on. I enjoy Brian Moreland’s writing style and his intense imagination. If On the Lips of Children didn’t instill a fear of homeless people in me, The Vagrants has absolutely nailed that home. I can’t wait to read more by this author.
January 26, 2023
“Some are born to sweet delight, some are born to endless night”
William Blake
What an excellent collection!! There is a Prequel story to The Witching House which is a novella, and then two other unrelated novellas complete the book.
The Witching House and The Seekers were terrifying!
I would read a whole series about The Seekers’ underground works. It was stark and chilling.
The prequel, The Girl From the Blood Coven, was ominous and graphic, a perfect setup for The Witching House. If you’re an urban explorer The Witching House may change your hobbies!
The last story, Darkness Rising, was more of a dark fantasy romance I thought, and was written very differently compared to the other entries in this collection. I liked it, but didn’t feel scared or thrilled. It has a great ending though.
This is one book you will want to add to your reading list!!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, & BooksGoSocial for a copy!
William Blake
What an excellent collection!! There is a Prequel story to The Witching House which is a novella, and then two other unrelated novellas complete the book.
The Witching House and The Seekers were terrifying!
I would read a whole series about The Seekers’ underground works. It was stark and chilling.
The prequel, The Girl From the Blood Coven, was ominous and graphic, a perfect setup for The Witching House. If you’re an urban explorer The Witching House may change your hobbies!
The last story, Darkness Rising, was more of a dark fantasy romance I thought, and was written very differently compared to the other entries in this collection. I liked it, but didn’t feel scared or thrilled. It has a great ending though.
This is one book you will want to add to your reading list!!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, & BooksGoSocial for a copy!
April 14, 2016
Blood Sacrifices is my first introduction to Moreland's work and what an introduction it was. Plain and simple, Blood Sacrifices is the best read I've read in years. It's that good. Influences of McCammon and King drip from the pages. Moreland's style is so easy and smooth to get immersed in. The characterization is impeccable. The dialogue is completely believable. The settings are layed out so vividly, you'd swear you were looking over the characters shoulders. Blood Sacrifices is comprised of a short story and three novellas. The short story, The Girl From The Blood Coven is actually a prelude into his novella The Witching House. Here's my synopsis of each one:
The Girl From The Blood Coven -
The Girl from the Blood Coven is a short story prelude to Moreland's excellent The Witching House and, in my opinion, should be read as such. Sure, you can read it on it's own, but then you'd be missing out on a fantastic continuation that The Girl from the Blood Coven started. Why have just the appetizer when you can have the 7 course meal??
In 1972, a girl walks into a East Texas roadhouse bar covered in blood claiming that everyone in the hippy commune she was living in has been slaughtered. What the sheriff and his deputies find at the Blevins House is more horrific than they could ever have imagined.
Taste the hors d'oeurves and don't stop there.
4 Blood-stained Tie Dyes out of 5
The Witching House -
Sarah has been dating Dean for 9 months now and it's been nothing but one adventure after another. Dean and his friends are adrenaline junkies. This is all new to Sarah, but so far she's been able to keep up. Now Dean and is friends are taking her on another action-packed weekend in the middle of nowhere East Texas. She learns that their latest adventure will be exploring the boarded up Blevins House. In 1972, the Blevins House was a hippy commune where a massacre occurred one night, killing almost thirty people under strange circumstances. The murders were never solved and the house has been vacant ever since. Dean has hooked up with a local named Ronnie online who has set the expedition up for them. The Blevins House is rumored to be haunted. But what lurks behind the walls isn't what you would see on Ghost Hunters. Not even close.
Moreland creates a pulse-pounding read without falling into the old trappings of so many other stories that have young people in peril while being in an old house. The characters are three-dimensional and never feel cliched. The Witching House delivers the goods. Highly recommended.
5 Hanging Corpses out of 5
Darkness Rising -
Marty has been abused and ridiculed his whole life. His father murdered his mother when he was young. As a result, Marty was bounced around from foster home to foster home. Abused at each stop, Marty is a wreck emotionally and unable to share his true feelings. His only solace is in the poetry he composes in his journal, a present from his mother long ago. Working as a custodian at the local college, Marty meets Jennifer in one of the dorms that he cleans and offers his assistance when he discovers that she is struggling in Poetry and Literature. A friendship blossoms but Marty is too afraid to share his true feelings for Jennifer. Instead, he writes poems and goes to a desolate shore of one of the nearby lakes where he has pleasant memories of his mother bringing him there when he was a child. This becomes his special place where he can truly express his feelings and read his poems outloud to the empty lake. Then one day, he is attacked by three assailants who have gruesome plans for him. What they don't know is that Marty has something special in store for them too.
Another great tale by Moreland who has quickly become my favorite discovery of 2016. He does a really nice job developing Marty into being a likable character without drifting into making him appear pathetic. The setting is vividly laid out so that you feel like you can see the lake, smell the air, and hear the screams. Highly recommended.
4 1/2 Snuff Films out of 5
The Vagrants -
I have quickly become a believer in Brian Moreland. The Vagrants is the final novella in his excellent collection, Blood Sacrifices. I'll review The Vagrant's here on it's own merit and then in Blood Sacrifices as a whole with the other stories.
Daniel is a recent journalism grad from Dartmouth who wants to make a difference in the world. He assimilates himself among a camp of homeless underneath a bridge in Boston. With aspirations to understand them better and gather source material to write a book, Daniel is with them for six months. When a stranger named Mordecai enters the other side of the camp with tattoos all over his head and body preaching about the end being near, many in the camp are recruited to be his followers by what appears some sort of brainwashing. Mordecai attempts to "recruit" Daniel into his following and Daniel is only able to resist at the last second. He returns to his normal life, writes his book, and puts his past behind him. But his past isn't done with Daniel. They have other plans for him.
Moreland writes a gripping tale that uses unique and seedy locations in Boston along with wonderfully lifelike characters that you care about to pull you in completely. The Vagrants is wildly imaginative with shades of Lovecraft that enhance an already wonderful story. Highly recommended reading.
5 All-Seeing Pineal Glands out of 5
All in all, pound for pound, you won't find a better collection of tales out there. I rank this one right up there in the same hallowed ground as The Night Shift. Run, don't walk, and get Blood Sacrifices now!
The Girl From The Blood Coven -
The Girl from the Blood Coven is a short story prelude to Moreland's excellent The Witching House and, in my opinion, should be read as such. Sure, you can read it on it's own, but then you'd be missing out on a fantastic continuation that The Girl from the Blood Coven started. Why have just the appetizer when you can have the 7 course meal??
In 1972, a girl walks into a East Texas roadhouse bar covered in blood claiming that everyone in the hippy commune she was living in has been slaughtered. What the sheriff and his deputies find at the Blevins House is more horrific than they could ever have imagined.
Taste the hors d'oeurves and don't stop there.
4 Blood-stained Tie Dyes out of 5
The Witching House -
Sarah has been dating Dean for 9 months now and it's been nothing but one adventure after another. Dean and his friends are adrenaline junkies. This is all new to Sarah, but so far she's been able to keep up. Now Dean and is friends are taking her on another action-packed weekend in the middle of nowhere East Texas. She learns that their latest adventure will be exploring the boarded up Blevins House. In 1972, the Blevins House was a hippy commune where a massacre occurred one night, killing almost thirty people under strange circumstances. The murders were never solved and the house has been vacant ever since. Dean has hooked up with a local named Ronnie online who has set the expedition up for them. The Blevins House is rumored to be haunted. But what lurks behind the walls isn't what you would see on Ghost Hunters. Not even close.
Moreland creates a pulse-pounding read without falling into the old trappings of so many other stories that have young people in peril while being in an old house. The characters are three-dimensional and never feel cliched. The Witching House delivers the goods. Highly recommended.
5 Hanging Corpses out of 5
Darkness Rising -
Marty has been abused and ridiculed his whole life. His father murdered his mother when he was young. As a result, Marty was bounced around from foster home to foster home. Abused at each stop, Marty is a wreck emotionally and unable to share his true feelings. His only solace is in the poetry he composes in his journal, a present from his mother long ago. Working as a custodian at the local college, Marty meets Jennifer in one of the dorms that he cleans and offers his assistance when he discovers that she is struggling in Poetry and Literature. A friendship blossoms but Marty is too afraid to share his true feelings for Jennifer. Instead, he writes poems and goes to a desolate shore of one of the nearby lakes where he has pleasant memories of his mother bringing him there when he was a child. This becomes his special place where he can truly express his feelings and read his poems outloud to the empty lake. Then one day, he is attacked by three assailants who have gruesome plans for him. What they don't know is that Marty has something special in store for them too.
Another great tale by Moreland who has quickly become my favorite discovery of 2016. He does a really nice job developing Marty into being a likable character without drifting into making him appear pathetic. The setting is vividly laid out so that you feel like you can see the lake, smell the air, and hear the screams. Highly recommended.
4 1/2 Snuff Films out of 5
The Vagrants -
I have quickly become a believer in Brian Moreland. The Vagrants is the final novella in his excellent collection, Blood Sacrifices. I'll review The Vagrant's here on it's own merit and then in Blood Sacrifices as a whole with the other stories.
Daniel is a recent journalism grad from Dartmouth who wants to make a difference in the world. He assimilates himself among a camp of homeless underneath a bridge in Boston. With aspirations to understand them better and gather source material to write a book, Daniel is with them for six months. When a stranger named Mordecai enters the other side of the camp with tattoos all over his head and body preaching about the end being near, many in the camp are recruited to be his followers by what appears some sort of brainwashing. Mordecai attempts to "recruit" Daniel into his following and Daniel is only able to resist at the last second. He returns to his normal life, writes his book, and puts his past behind him. But his past isn't done with Daniel. They have other plans for him.
Moreland writes a gripping tale that uses unique and seedy locations in Boston along with wonderfully lifelike characters that you care about to pull you in completely. The Vagrants is wildly imaginative with shades of Lovecraft that enhance an already wonderful story. Highly recommended reading.
5 All-Seeing Pineal Glands out of 5
All in all, pound for pound, you won't find a better collection of tales out there. I rank this one right up there in the same hallowed ground as The Night Shift. Run, don't walk, and get Blood Sacrifices now!
June 18, 2016
When I first read Darkness Rising, way back in 2015, I gave it a bit of a knock for starting the tale with a familiar cast of baddies. Regular joes in simple masks (animal or otherwise) seemed to be all the rage in film at the time. It felt too easy. Perhaps that was a bit of a knee-jerk reaction on my past as it is a pretty effective visual.
Darkness Rising has stuck with me, rattling around in the old brain pan. It was only my second Moreland read behind The Girl from the Blood Coven (a knock-out short story). So I was far from experienced with his fiction. But as I wrapped up Blood Sacrifices (containing the afore mentioned pieces plus two more, The Witching House and The Vagrants) I realized that my initial reaction to Darkness Rising may have been off, confusing overly familiar with immediately accessible. Brian just has a way of ushering you in a narrative. Quickly, efficiently, viciously.
All four pieces here, three novellas and a short story, are great. They all have a highly enveloping, cinematic quality to them making a fast and fluid immersion process. When you are in these pages you are trapped in these worlds, fighting amongst or against the creatures, human and otherwise. Fantastic creatures at that, of various ilk.
The first two entries, Blood Coven & Witching House, are connected pieces dealing in witchcraft and occult. The later rooted (wink) in the present, the former cuffed to the past, both of these are eerie and atmospheric reads. While I was more into Blood Coven, it seems to delve a little into pure malice, Witching House holds its own pretty well. One of the supporting antagonists in WH comes of a little cliche back-woods-redneck, which lost me for the briefest of moments but the story roped me back with a solid set piece and a pretty awesome... well, you'll see.
The final piece, The Vagrants, covers the ground of religious fanaticism (to an extent) and old Gods with a touching secondary narrative weaving around and then through the main narrative, that being the emergence of a massive, mysterious cult amongst the homeless population.
It's a solid angle for a story to begin and again I was immediately connected with this tale and all the characters involved. A charismatic baddie and a charming secondary narrative combine for a captivating read.
Now let's back track to the third entry in this book, Darkness Rising. A piece that on its own ended up on my year end top ten list. It is one hell of a read and (my feelings only) the pinnacle of this collection. It starts off fast & familiar, wrapping up rather quickly, unexpectedly. Right before immediately giving horrid birth to a core shaking secondary act. This is what calls to me as a reader, a dark, heavy, bleak narrative.
This story gets ugly, and it gets ugly fast. Our protagonist and antagonist are both highly effective and very imaginative nightmares. The history behind the two unfold and boom, you get events that define why I fell in love with horror. It'll move you.
Brian Moreland has a firm grasp on his craft, that is apparent. His work is dark, difficult to predict, and highly satisfying. It's exactly the type of material I seek out when I'm choosing a personal read and now that I have blasted through his shorter works I really need to make reading a full length novel of his a priority. Definitely check this one out.
Overall score: 4.5/ 5
Zakk is a big dumb animal!
**Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher/ publicist on the promise of an honest review. These are my unbiased feelings.
December 13, 2022
Thank you to Net Galley for sending me a free copy of this book! All opinions are my own.
I normally don't read anthologies or short stories but the title is called to me and I enjoy this author's other books. I absolutely loved these three stories! The first one about the witch coven was my favorite because it reminded me of the Manson cult, just with witchcraft and no gross men. This author is great at building up suspense and those cliffhangers at the end of the chapter always get me. He also writes gore super well and detailed, and the gore makes sense and it's not just unnecessarily gory for no reason. I would recommend this book to my horror-loving book friends and I would read more by this author.
I normally don't read anthologies or short stories but the title is called to me and I enjoy this author's other books. I absolutely loved these three stories! The first one about the witch coven was my favorite because it reminded me of the Manson cult, just with witchcraft and no gross men. This author is great at building up suspense and those cliffhangers at the end of the chapter always get me. He also writes gore super well and detailed, and the gore makes sense and it's not just unnecessarily gory for no reason. I would recommend this book to my horror-loving book friends and I would read more by this author.
May 17, 2016
First of all, the book as a whole. One of the best collections I've read to date...seriously!
As I was reading The Girl from the Blood Coven, the short prequel to The Witching House, I was thinking, "This is really something." I was seriously creeped out. That's a good thing. What can I say about The Witching House that can even describe its brilliance? It almost had me as scared as I was when I read my favorite horror novel of all time, Hell House by Richard Matheson. The legends surrounding the Blevins House, the urban explorers, the house itself--the perfect set-up for what is, in my eyes, a classic horror tale. This tale does not rely on horror cliches to get the scares. It is genuine, bare bones horror that reaches out and grabs you by the throat.
Darkness Rising is more realistically scary, meaning it's scary because the murder/torture and filming of the acts could actually happen, speaking strictly in a non-supernatural instance. I'm sitting there thinking, "Damn it, Marty, when you saw that there was another vehicle at the lake, why didn't you just leave?" But then, there wouldn't be a story. This tale was more about the cruelties in the world...the murders, the bullying...and what might happen to one guilty of these cruelties. And, strangely enough, it's also a love story which also made it a heartbreaking read.
The Vagrants held more of a message for me. Messages about our ever growing homeless problem in this country, and about cultism. At least, that's what I felt as I was reading. What if the hopeless in this world were made to rise up by a charismatic leader and destroy the world as we know it? Pretty scary stuff. It's testament to how easily people can be led to believe something when they feel there is nothing left.
Moreland is a hell of a horror writer. This is my first read of his work and it will not be my last. You should read this book now!
(I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
As I was reading The Girl from the Blood Coven, the short prequel to The Witching House, I was thinking, "This is really something." I was seriously creeped out. That's a good thing. What can I say about The Witching House that can even describe its brilliance? It almost had me as scared as I was when I read my favorite horror novel of all time, Hell House by Richard Matheson. The legends surrounding the Blevins House, the urban explorers, the house itself--the perfect set-up for what is, in my eyes, a classic horror tale. This tale does not rely on horror cliches to get the scares. It is genuine, bare bones horror that reaches out and grabs you by the throat.
Darkness Rising is more realistically scary, meaning it's scary because the murder/torture and filming of the acts could actually happen, speaking strictly in a non-supernatural instance. I'm sitting there thinking, "Damn it, Marty, when you saw that there was another vehicle at the lake, why didn't you just leave?" But then, there wouldn't be a story. This tale was more about the cruelties in the world...the murders, the bullying...and what might happen to one guilty of these cruelties. And, strangely enough, it's also a love story which also made it a heartbreaking read.
The Vagrants held more of a message for me. Messages about our ever growing homeless problem in this country, and about cultism. At least, that's what I felt as I was reading. What if the hopeless in this world were made to rise up by a charismatic leader and destroy the world as we know it? Pretty scary stuff. It's testament to how easily people can be led to believe something when they feel there is nothing left.
Moreland is a hell of a horror writer. This is my first read of his work and it will not be my last. You should read this book now!
(I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
April 6, 2016
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is in no way reflected in my opinion of this anthology.
Blood Sacrifices is an anthology of three novellas and one short story that will leave you dying for more of Brian Moreland's books! Each story was better than the last. The Girl From The Blood Coven is the perfect start to this collection. I loved this story! It is intense and spooky, setting the mood for the rest of the book. It also made me want to know more about the things that live in the old Blevins house. Thankfully, The Witching House answered those questions. This novella had several things I love about horror, murderous rednecks, ghosts, and a creature that demands to be fed. Sarah, Dean, Meg and Casey are fun to follow as they try to find out who or what is lurking in the Blevins house. The third novella in this book is Darkness Rising, which I had reviewed previously. This novella ranges from gruesome and terrifying to bittersweet sadness as it carries you along to a fantastic ending. Marty is easy to care about making the bad things that happen even more horrific. The final story is The Vagrants, my favorite found in this collection. Fast paced and terrifying. Cannibal Mutants!! In the subway!! I was doing a happy dance in my heart the entire time I was reading this book. Each story was engrossing and horrific. A highly recommended 4.5 star read.
Blood Sacrifices is an anthology of three novellas and one short story that will leave you dying for more of Brian Moreland's books! Each story was better than the last. The Girl From The Blood Coven is the perfect start to this collection. I loved this story! It is intense and spooky, setting the mood for the rest of the book. It also made me want to know more about the things that live in the old Blevins house. Thankfully, The Witching House answered those questions. This novella had several things I love about horror, murderous rednecks, ghosts, and a creature that demands to be fed. Sarah, Dean, Meg and Casey are fun to follow as they try to find out who or what is lurking in the Blevins house. The third novella in this book is Darkness Rising, which I had reviewed previously. This novella ranges from gruesome and terrifying to bittersweet sadness as it carries you along to a fantastic ending. Marty is easy to care about making the bad things that happen even more horrific. The final story is The Vagrants, my favorite found in this collection. Fast paced and terrifying. Cannibal Mutants!! In the subway!! I was doing a happy dance in my heart the entire time I was reading this book. Each story was engrossing and horrific. A highly recommended 4.5 star read.
April 12, 2016
Review: BLOOD SACRIFICES by Brian Moreland
A delectable selection of 4 horror stories from Brian Moreland, the author noted for "thinking person's horror. Mr. Moreland, who can squelch 'em out with the best of them, is also a powerful intellect. Not for him is the simple slice-and-dice. He makes readers think, and expands their imaginative horizons.
Included here are "The Girl from the Blood Coven," "The Witching House," "Darkness Rising," and "The Vagrants."
A delectable selection of 4 horror stories from Brian Moreland, the author noted for "thinking person's horror. Mr. Moreland, who can squelch 'em out with the best of them, is also a powerful intellect. Not for him is the simple slice-and-dice. He makes readers think, and expands their imaginative horizons.
Included here are "The Girl from the Blood Coven," "The Witching House," "Darkness Rising," and "The Vagrants."
June 25, 2016
Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review
I have heard nothing but great things about Brian Moreland's books from both other readers and horror authors for a while. So when I was approached to join the blog tour for Blood Sacrifices, a collection of four previously digital-only titles, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to start reading his work.
The Girl From The Blood Coven is the first story in the collection and takes place in June 21, 1972 in the pine country of East Texas. After a night of dealing with the usual traffic accidents and drunken domestic disputes, all Sheriff Travis Keagan can think about is drinking an ice-cold beer and watching the rest of the Texas Rangers game. Sheriff Keagan is enjoying a dinner at the Lazy Armadillo, a local bar and it seems like a typical, mundane night in Buck Horn. However, the night takes an ominous turn when a girl soaked in blood arrives claiming that her family was massacred. Her name is Abigail Blackwood and she lives in the towns infamous Blevins House. Abigail claims that all twenty-four of the other residents were massacred by a single entity that definitely wasn't human. When Sheriff Keagan heads over to investigate, its dark and gloomy with lighting flashing through the sky and creates a perfect backdrop for the horror that is about to unfold. When they arrive at the Blevins House, Keagan and his officers discover a scene of carnage that stuns them. It isn't long until Keagan finds himself involved in a deadly cat and mouse game.
One thing that immediately stood out with this story is the effortless characterization and a perfect depiction of small town life. Moreland is able to achieve both of these things through the eyes of Sheriff Keagan when he arrives at the Lazy Armadillo. He knows everyone in the restaurant by name and knows just about everything there is to know about their personal lives. These quick one sentence descriptions of the townspeople not only make the characters come alive, but give readers an accurate portrayal of just how small of a community Buck Horn really is.
I was also impressed with the spooky atmosphere that surrounds the Blevins House. The house has a reputation around town and the stories that swirl around the Blevins House are scary enough to make the sheriff feel uneasy. The house was owned by Lenora Ravenmoon Blevins, a witch with a reputation around town as a trouble maker. The house itself is pretty spooky. It is an old, three-story rock house that is set on two hundred acres of forest land, making it an isolated location that adds an air of eeriness to its checkered history.
This was a perfect short story to start the collection with its breakneck pacing that grabbed my attention instantly and left me excited to continue reading Blood Sacrifices.
The Witching House is a continuation of the events that occurred in The Girl From The Blood Coven set in the present day. While the Blevins House always had a reputation, it wasn't until the massacre back in '72 that the houses legend reached mythic proportions. The townspeople of Buck Horn avoid the property at all costs and the mere mention of ghosts or witchcraft causes people to cross themselves as a precautionary measure. Otis, the sole survivor of the massacre at the Blevins House returns in The Witching House and takes care of the infamous house as an adult, though he doesn't live on the property. People call Otis crazy and wonder why he continues to maintain the property, but that's because they don't know the sinister truth that drives him to maintain the house.
The storyline of The Witching House alternates between Otis' story of taking care of the house and the history behind what really happened in 1972 and the story of Sarah Donovan, who goes with her boyfriend and his friends to check out Blevins House. Sarah's boyfriend Dean and his friends are adrenaline junkies and have dubbed themselves the Ghost Squad, since their favorite activity is to explore abandoned buildings that have a reputation for being haunted. Sarah wants to fit in and prove to her boyfriend she is adventurous, but her decision to go along with this expedition proves to be a mistake as the group finds themselves face to face with an unimaginable evil.
I loved The Girl From The Blood Coven, so I was glad that the sequel was next up in Blood Sacrifices. One thing that I enjoyed about this novella was the switch in perspectives. While The Girl Girl From The Blood Coven is told from the perspective of a local resident, The Witching House is mainly from the perspective of a group of outsiders. It may seem like a minor thing, but I thought it was cool how the Lazy Armadillo is portrayed as being a warm and welcoming place in The Girl From The Blood Coven, but that Sarah sees it as an ominous place when she stops there.
Trying to pick a favorite novella out of Blood Sacrifices is close to impossible, but if I had to choose, I would go with The Witching House. Moreland does an amazing job building tension as the group makes one startling discovery after another upon entering the Blevins House. Just when I think things can't get any creepier, Moreland continues to up the ante with some of the scariest scenes I have ever read, especially when the group comes face to face with the entity responsible for the massacre in 1972. Moreland puts his own unique spin on the witchcraft genre and I think horror fans will love the entity he creates in The Witching House which is pure, unfiltered nightmare fuel. The novella works well as a standalone story, but I can't help but wish there was a novel length story centered around the Blevins House!
Darkness Rising opens with a couple who are savagely attacked by a group of killers wearing animal masks, which instantly reminded me of the movie You're Next. Opening with this brutal scene helps prepare readers for the violence and depravity that is about to unfold, but not before meeting some key characters.
Marty Weaver is a maintenance guy at St. Germaine. He is the same age as most of the students but he doesn't go there, but he is saving his money to enroll and get his degree to achieve his dream of being a professor. When he isn't working, he is hard at work on his poems. The poems are his outlet at expressing himself and his true passion. He is also in love with Jennifer, a student at St. Germaine that he has been tutoring. They have a flirtatious relationship, but Marty is unsure of whether to confess his feelings to her as he thinks she is way out of his league. He is picked on relentlessly by students and his co-workers and it takes every bit of self-control to keep Marty from snapping as he battles his inner darkness. The only things that help keep him grounded and offer him happiness is his relationship with Jennifer and his poems. Mentions of his dark side make the reader wonder just what Marty is hiding.
One night, Marty heads down to read poetry to the lake, a ritual he developed back when he was a teenager. It was a special place for his family and reading his poems helps him deal with his struggles. While at the lake, Marty is cornered by a sadistic trio that taunts him and makes it clear that they intend to torture Marty. This chance encounter will change Marty's life forever.
I absolutely loved the character of Marty. He is a character that I was rooting for the entire length of this story. Marty has dealt with hardship for his entire life from being constantly teased, losing his parents and suffering horrible abuse throughout his stay in foster care as a child. I felt terrible for everything Marty had to endure, but those awful experiences help prepare him for his encounter with the trio of killers he meets in the woods. Marty is a badass despite his seemingly harmless nature, and he fights back against his attackers with a vengeance even when faced with impending death.
I also loved the originality on display in Darkness Rising. It is a revenge tale at heart, but Moreland puts a brilliant and original spin on the genre that I definitely didn't anticipate. Darkness Rising is a perfect blend of both real-world and supernatural horror and offers plenty of twists that will keep readers on the edge of their seats! Also, while there are plenty of examples of evil and depravity that permeate Darkness Rising, Moreland balances these with some powerful moments of hope that help make this novella a powerful read.
The Vagrants is the final novella that makes up Blood Sacrifices and was one that has been on my "to read" list for a long time. Daniel Finley is a journalist chronicling the daily lives of the homeless and has been living with them for the last 6 months. His goal for living with them and reporting on their lives is to write a book that would shine a light on homelessness. Throughout his time living on the streets, Daniel begins to form friendships with some of the people living in his camp and finds his preconceived notions of them stripped away as he spends time with them and learns their stories.
During Daniel's last month of living on the streets, a nomadic group named "The Seekers" arrive and are led by an enigmatic man named Mordecai. Daniel begins to chronicle The Seekers instead of documenting regular homeless life. Within 2 weeks of their arrival, the Seekers take over the settlement and Mordecai converts all of the residents to members of the Seekers group. Daniel finally goes to check out one of Mordecai's sermons and despite Mordecai's best efforts to get him to join, Daniel resists and is left behind as Mordecai leads his group to another city.
The story then flashes forward 2 years after Daniels time on the streets and his work chronicling the homeless is being published into a book. He is enjoying success beyond anything he could imagine and has a girlfriend. After leaving a meeting with his agent to celebrate his publication, Daniel runs into a homeless man who mentions the same Judgement Day promised by Mordecai which causes Daniel's blood to run cold.
Not long after, Daniel has a chance encounter with Dr. Rupert Holloman, a professor at Harvard who wants to use Daniel's book to teach a class. Dr. Holloman tells Daniel of a hidden world beneath Boston centered on abandoned subway tunnels and shows him a mural in one of the tunnels that is connected to the Seekers and features Mordecai at the center of the painting. It is here that Daniel realizes from Holloman's stories that Mordecai's group has reached cities all over the country. Ever since that initial encounter with Holloman, Daniel is being followed by homeless who are trying to get him to join the Seekers and keep referencing Mordecai's vision of the apocalypse.
While Daniel is back in town, he also attempts to reconcile with his father who he hasn't seen in years. It is during this visit that Daniel learns his father owes the Irish mob boss Drake O'Malley a ton of money. These events place a lot of pressure on Daniel as he finds himself caught between the mafia and the Seekers in a situation that will push his sanity to the limits.
The Vagrants was definitely a highly entertaining novella and lived up to the hype I had built for it in my mind after reading the synopsis. Mordecai is an interesting character and there is an air of mystery that surrounds him up until the novella's final moments. Despite his slight frame, he is a formidable fighter and is able to take on men twice his size. He also is a charismatic speaker and is able to hypnotize anyone who crosses his path, even those who initially resist him. This ability to cultivate a large cult following in such a short amount of time makes him a truly frightening character and the mystery behind his motivations kept me hooked.
After I finished reading Blood Sacrifices, I couldn't stop thinking about how great these stories were. This was my first experience reading Moreland's work and I was blown away by his storytelling abilities. Every novella featured in this collection displays traits of everything I love about the horror genre and is packed with action. I also loved the fact that even when I thought I knew where the stories were going, there were no shortage of surprises lurking just around the corner. Moreland also conjures up some of the most frightening antagonists/monsters I have read in quite some time, especially the witch from The Witching House. I suspect sometime in the near future some of those scenes will work their way into my nightmares. Blood Sacrifices is an essential addition to any horror fan's library and one of my favorite collections so far this year!
I have heard nothing but great things about Brian Moreland's books from both other readers and horror authors for a while. So when I was approached to join the blog tour for Blood Sacrifices, a collection of four previously digital-only titles, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to start reading his work.
The Girl From The Blood Coven is the first story in the collection and takes place in June 21, 1972 in the pine country of East Texas. After a night of dealing with the usual traffic accidents and drunken domestic disputes, all Sheriff Travis Keagan can think about is drinking an ice-cold beer and watching the rest of the Texas Rangers game. Sheriff Keagan is enjoying a dinner at the Lazy Armadillo, a local bar and it seems like a typical, mundane night in Buck Horn. However, the night takes an ominous turn when a girl soaked in blood arrives claiming that her family was massacred. Her name is Abigail Blackwood and she lives in the towns infamous Blevins House. Abigail claims that all twenty-four of the other residents were massacred by a single entity that definitely wasn't human. When Sheriff Keagan heads over to investigate, its dark and gloomy with lighting flashing through the sky and creates a perfect backdrop for the horror that is about to unfold. When they arrive at the Blevins House, Keagan and his officers discover a scene of carnage that stuns them. It isn't long until Keagan finds himself involved in a deadly cat and mouse game.
One thing that immediately stood out with this story is the effortless characterization and a perfect depiction of small town life. Moreland is able to achieve both of these things through the eyes of Sheriff Keagan when he arrives at the Lazy Armadillo. He knows everyone in the restaurant by name and knows just about everything there is to know about their personal lives. These quick one sentence descriptions of the townspeople not only make the characters come alive, but give readers an accurate portrayal of just how small of a community Buck Horn really is.
I was also impressed with the spooky atmosphere that surrounds the Blevins House. The house has a reputation around town and the stories that swirl around the Blevins House are scary enough to make the sheriff feel uneasy. The house was owned by Lenora Ravenmoon Blevins, a witch with a reputation around town as a trouble maker. The house itself is pretty spooky. It is an old, three-story rock house that is set on two hundred acres of forest land, making it an isolated location that adds an air of eeriness to its checkered history.
This was a perfect short story to start the collection with its breakneck pacing that grabbed my attention instantly and left me excited to continue reading Blood Sacrifices.
The Witching House is a continuation of the events that occurred in The Girl From The Blood Coven set in the present day. While the Blevins House always had a reputation, it wasn't until the massacre back in '72 that the houses legend reached mythic proportions. The townspeople of Buck Horn avoid the property at all costs and the mere mention of ghosts or witchcraft causes people to cross themselves as a precautionary measure. Otis, the sole survivor of the massacre at the Blevins House returns in The Witching House and takes care of the infamous house as an adult, though he doesn't live on the property. People call Otis crazy and wonder why he continues to maintain the property, but that's because they don't know the sinister truth that drives him to maintain the house.
The storyline of The Witching House alternates between Otis' story of taking care of the house and the history behind what really happened in 1972 and the story of Sarah Donovan, who goes with her boyfriend and his friends to check out Blevins House. Sarah's boyfriend Dean and his friends are adrenaline junkies and have dubbed themselves the Ghost Squad, since their favorite activity is to explore abandoned buildings that have a reputation for being haunted. Sarah wants to fit in and prove to her boyfriend she is adventurous, but her decision to go along with this expedition proves to be a mistake as the group finds themselves face to face with an unimaginable evil.
I loved The Girl From The Blood Coven, so I was glad that the sequel was next up in Blood Sacrifices. One thing that I enjoyed about this novella was the switch in perspectives. While The Girl Girl From The Blood Coven is told from the perspective of a local resident, The Witching House is mainly from the perspective of a group of outsiders. It may seem like a minor thing, but I thought it was cool how the Lazy Armadillo is portrayed as being a warm and welcoming place in The Girl From The Blood Coven, but that Sarah sees it as an ominous place when she stops there.
Trying to pick a favorite novella out of Blood Sacrifices is close to impossible, but if I had to choose, I would go with The Witching House. Moreland does an amazing job building tension as the group makes one startling discovery after another upon entering the Blevins House. Just when I think things can't get any creepier, Moreland continues to up the ante with some of the scariest scenes I have ever read, especially when the group comes face to face with the entity responsible for the massacre in 1972. Moreland puts his own unique spin on the witchcraft genre and I think horror fans will love the entity he creates in The Witching House which is pure, unfiltered nightmare fuel. The novella works well as a standalone story, but I can't help but wish there was a novel length story centered around the Blevins House!
Darkness Rising opens with a couple who are savagely attacked by a group of killers wearing animal masks, which instantly reminded me of the movie You're Next. Opening with this brutal scene helps prepare readers for the violence and depravity that is about to unfold, but not before meeting some key characters.
Marty Weaver is a maintenance guy at St. Germaine. He is the same age as most of the students but he doesn't go there, but he is saving his money to enroll and get his degree to achieve his dream of being a professor. When he isn't working, he is hard at work on his poems. The poems are his outlet at expressing himself and his true passion. He is also in love with Jennifer, a student at St. Germaine that he has been tutoring. They have a flirtatious relationship, but Marty is unsure of whether to confess his feelings to her as he thinks she is way out of his league. He is picked on relentlessly by students and his co-workers and it takes every bit of self-control to keep Marty from snapping as he battles his inner darkness. The only things that help keep him grounded and offer him happiness is his relationship with Jennifer and his poems. Mentions of his dark side make the reader wonder just what Marty is hiding.
One night, Marty heads down to read poetry to the lake, a ritual he developed back when he was a teenager. It was a special place for his family and reading his poems helps him deal with his struggles. While at the lake, Marty is cornered by a sadistic trio that taunts him and makes it clear that they intend to torture Marty. This chance encounter will change Marty's life forever.
I absolutely loved the character of Marty. He is a character that I was rooting for the entire length of this story. Marty has dealt with hardship for his entire life from being constantly teased, losing his parents and suffering horrible abuse throughout his stay in foster care as a child. I felt terrible for everything Marty had to endure, but those awful experiences help prepare him for his encounter with the trio of killers he meets in the woods. Marty is a badass despite his seemingly harmless nature, and he fights back against his attackers with a vengeance even when faced with impending death.
I also loved the originality on display in Darkness Rising. It is a revenge tale at heart, but Moreland puts a brilliant and original spin on the genre that I definitely didn't anticipate. Darkness Rising is a perfect blend of both real-world and supernatural horror and offers plenty of twists that will keep readers on the edge of their seats! Also, while there are plenty of examples of evil and depravity that permeate Darkness Rising, Moreland balances these with some powerful moments of hope that help make this novella a powerful read.
The Vagrants is the final novella that makes up Blood Sacrifices and was one that has been on my "to read" list for a long time. Daniel Finley is a journalist chronicling the daily lives of the homeless and has been living with them for the last 6 months. His goal for living with them and reporting on their lives is to write a book that would shine a light on homelessness. Throughout his time living on the streets, Daniel begins to form friendships with some of the people living in his camp and finds his preconceived notions of them stripped away as he spends time with them and learns their stories.
During Daniel's last month of living on the streets, a nomadic group named "The Seekers" arrive and are led by an enigmatic man named Mordecai. Daniel begins to chronicle The Seekers instead of documenting regular homeless life. Within 2 weeks of their arrival, the Seekers take over the settlement and Mordecai converts all of the residents to members of the Seekers group. Daniel finally goes to check out one of Mordecai's sermons and despite Mordecai's best efforts to get him to join, Daniel resists and is left behind as Mordecai leads his group to another city.
The story then flashes forward 2 years after Daniels time on the streets and his work chronicling the homeless is being published into a book. He is enjoying success beyond anything he could imagine and has a girlfriend. After leaving a meeting with his agent to celebrate his publication, Daniel runs into a homeless man who mentions the same Judgement Day promised by Mordecai which causes Daniel's blood to run cold.
Not long after, Daniel has a chance encounter with Dr. Rupert Holloman, a professor at Harvard who wants to use Daniel's book to teach a class. Dr. Holloman tells Daniel of a hidden world beneath Boston centered on abandoned subway tunnels and shows him a mural in one of the tunnels that is connected to the Seekers and features Mordecai at the center of the painting. It is here that Daniel realizes from Holloman's stories that Mordecai's group has reached cities all over the country. Ever since that initial encounter with Holloman, Daniel is being followed by homeless who are trying to get him to join the Seekers and keep referencing Mordecai's vision of the apocalypse.
While Daniel is back in town, he also attempts to reconcile with his father who he hasn't seen in years. It is during this visit that Daniel learns his father owes the Irish mob boss Drake O'Malley a ton of money. These events place a lot of pressure on Daniel as he finds himself caught between the mafia and the Seekers in a situation that will push his sanity to the limits.
The Vagrants was definitely a highly entertaining novella and lived up to the hype I had built for it in my mind after reading the synopsis. Mordecai is an interesting character and there is an air of mystery that surrounds him up until the novella's final moments. Despite his slight frame, he is a formidable fighter and is able to take on men twice his size. He also is a charismatic speaker and is able to hypnotize anyone who crosses his path, even those who initially resist him. This ability to cultivate a large cult following in such a short amount of time makes him a truly frightening character and the mystery behind his motivations kept me hooked.
After I finished reading Blood Sacrifices, I couldn't stop thinking about how great these stories were. This was my first experience reading Moreland's work and I was blown away by his storytelling abilities. Every novella featured in this collection displays traits of everything I love about the horror genre and is packed with action. I also loved the fact that even when I thought I knew where the stories were going, there were no shortage of surprises lurking just around the corner. Moreland also conjures up some of the most frightening antagonists/monsters I have read in quite some time, especially the witch from The Witching House. I suspect sometime in the near future some of those scenes will work their way into my nightmares. Blood Sacrifices is an essential addition to any horror fan's library and one of my favorite collections so far this year!
December 29, 2022
The Witching House:
Novella that follows a group of urban explorers who decide to enter an evil house. Highly enjoyed this take on the haunted house trope. Very well rounded, filled with as much gore, lore and ‘Eeks!’ as you could possibly want. The prologue describing the origins of the evil are my favorite. Pulled me right in and kept me hooked!
The Seekers:
A charismatic cult leader rounding up followers from the transient population with one goal, the Apocalypse. This story took me a bit of time to get into but it really paid off in the end! Plus, I’m glad it did considering it has one of my favorite horror tropes towards the ending. The forbidden nom noms!
Darkness Rising:
TW: S/A, snuff, gore and more
An absolute stunner of a story about the hunters becoming the hunted! Out of the three novellas, this is the story I want a longer version of. Give me moooore! Incredibly violent and has quite a few references to s/a so be aware of that but it’s a great read!
Really glad I picked up this book. Usually I find novellas hit or miss but I was impressed with how well Moreland fleshed out his stories in such a short time. I look forward to reading more of his work! Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy of the book.
Novella that follows a group of urban explorers who decide to enter an evil house. Highly enjoyed this take on the haunted house trope. Very well rounded, filled with as much gore, lore and ‘Eeks!’ as you could possibly want. The prologue describing the origins of the evil are my favorite. Pulled me right in and kept me hooked!
The Seekers:
A charismatic cult leader rounding up followers from the transient population with one goal, the Apocalypse. This story took me a bit of time to get into but it really paid off in the end! Plus, I’m glad it did considering it has one of my favorite horror tropes towards the ending. The forbidden nom noms!
Darkness Rising:
TW: S/A, snuff, gore and more
An absolute stunner of a story about the hunters becoming the hunted! Out of the three novellas, this is the story I want a longer version of. Give me moooore! Incredibly violent and has quite a few references to s/a so be aware of that but it’s a great read!
Really glad I picked up this book. Usually I find novellas hit or miss but I was impressed with how well Moreland fleshed out his stories in such a short time. I look forward to reading more of his work! Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy of the book.
April 25, 2016
4.5 Stars!
BLOOD SACRIFICES, by Brian Moreland is a collection of three novellas, and one short story that serves as a prequel to the first novella. By the time I had come across this collection, I had previously read two of Moreland’s novels, and one novella. I can honestly say that I have yet to come across something from this author that I didn’t enjoy. Moreland has a fluid writing style that appears to be getting stronger with each new release. His attention to atmospheric details quickly draws the reader into the storyline, creating a vivid background that often acts as a “character” itself. Personally, I feel that this is one of his greatest strengths, along with his unique, imaginative plot-lines.
The first story presented is “The Girl From the Blood Coven”. In the year 1972, Sheriff Travis Keagan has finished his shift for the night, and is taking in a Rangers game at the local bar. Without warning, a girl walks in–covered head to toe in blood that is NOT her own. Her cryptic words: “They’re all dead” , lead Keagan and a deputy to the Blevins House–reputed home to a coven of witches.
What Sheriff Keagan finds there is something nobody could have anticipated.
” . . . when you mess with the devil, it can only end up bad.”
I absolutely loved this short story that serves as a prequel to Moreland’s novella, THE WITCHING HOUSE! The tension builds steadily to the horrifying climax.
The second selection naturally following is the novella, THE WITCHING HOUSE. When two couples go exploring in the old, reputed haunted Blevins House, they’re expecting to find nothing more than a dilapidated building to film, or maybe some leftover antiques rotting away in some of the three-story building’s rooms. Their guide, a local “thrill hunter” named Ronnie, works for the house’s caretaker, Otis Blevins. He assures them that they will be able to explore, completely undisturbed. (NOTE: It’s never a great idea to go into a place that housed dozens of homicides within its tainted walls–especially when you’re trespassing and haven’t told a soul about your destination.)
What Brian Moreland began in his short story “The Girl From the Blood Coven”, goes into frightening new details as the full story behind that fateful night unfolds. For the evil that was born is still awake . . .
. . . And still so very hungry–
Moreland let this story be told throughout the entire course of the novella–not by dumping the entire plot in a one-sitting conversation. His descriptions of the house and noxious mold within were vivid enough for me to feel as though I were walking through the house with the “Urban Explorers”. The sense of foreboding begins immediately, and steadily builds as the novella goes on.
There were a couple of character thoughts and emotions that I felt were out of place in the situation involving them, but other than those, I felt it was a solid read with a conclusion that I was only able to partially predict.
The third story is Moreland’s DARKNESS RISING. This novella had it all: blood, torture, revenge, and so many “grisly” surprises that I can’t give away without spoiling the plot. After a fantastic prologue, I did have doubts as to how the rest of the book would measure up. However, this one had so many horrifying twists, that I wasn’t able to predict the ultimate ending–something that is becoming increasingly rare. Moreland scored high points with me on this one!
The main character, Marty Weaver, is a man you can’t help but feel for. Following a tragedy at the age of nine, his life was spent with abusive foster homes and constant bullying that seemed to follow him, even as he grew and began working minimum wage jobs. His only solace was found by writing poetry in a private journal. “Poetry has an invisible power that transcends the soul.”
Never did I imagine how true this was!
While I first thought of this as another “feel sorry for the poor boy” type of book, I couldn’t have been more mistaken. While that element is present, it’s only a small part of the places Brian Moreland’s words will take you to.
These are NOT the kind of places that you’d ever want to go . . . .
This is probably my favorite story in the collection!
The final novella here is THE VAGRANTS. Daniel Finley, a journalist, goes undercover as one of the many homeless in order to observe their lives, firsthand, for a book he plans on writing.
“My name is Daniel Finley, and I am not one of them” , is the mantra he would secretly scribble in his journal each day. After a charismatic stranger–covered in odd tattoo designs–enters their “community”, he begins preaching to the others. He called himself Mordecai, and soon had every man and woman in the area moving on to be part of his “cult”.
The release of Daniel’s book finds him once more being led back to Mordecai and his followers–and on his other side, the Irish Mafia boss, Drake O’Malley, demanding payment owed him by Daniel’s elderly father. The situations and environments in this novella were truly frightening–especially the scenes in underground, abandoned subway tunnels. The fanatical Mordecai with his talk of an apocalypse that would bring out flesh eating demons was mesmerizing!
My only minor complaints in this novella were that the rest of the characters–especially Daniel’s girlfriend, Connie–felt two-dimensional in comparison to the main character. Also, several comments/situations were unnecessarily pointed out repetitiously that did nothing to add to, or advance the plot in any way.
Aside from this, I found THE VAGRANTS–especially the last half–to be a nerve wracking journey between a known evil (Drake O’Malley), and an unknown, even more sinister one.
Brian Moreland is an emerging talent that is on my “must-read” list with each new release. This collection is a fantastic way to sample some of his writing and originality, all in one place.
Highly recommended!
BLOOD SACRIFICES, by Brian Moreland is a collection of three novellas, and one short story that serves as a prequel to the first novella. By the time I had come across this collection, I had previously read two of Moreland’s novels, and one novella. I can honestly say that I have yet to come across something from this author that I didn’t enjoy. Moreland has a fluid writing style that appears to be getting stronger with each new release. His attention to atmospheric details quickly draws the reader into the storyline, creating a vivid background that often acts as a “character” itself. Personally, I feel that this is one of his greatest strengths, along with his unique, imaginative plot-lines.
The first story presented is “The Girl From the Blood Coven”. In the year 1972, Sheriff Travis Keagan has finished his shift for the night, and is taking in a Rangers game at the local bar. Without warning, a girl walks in–covered head to toe in blood that is NOT her own. Her cryptic words: “They’re all dead” , lead Keagan and a deputy to the Blevins House–reputed home to a coven of witches.
What Sheriff Keagan finds there is something nobody could have anticipated.
” . . . when you mess with the devil, it can only end up bad.”
I absolutely loved this short story that serves as a prequel to Moreland’s novella, THE WITCHING HOUSE! The tension builds steadily to the horrifying climax.
The second selection naturally following is the novella, THE WITCHING HOUSE. When two couples go exploring in the old, reputed haunted Blevins House, they’re expecting to find nothing more than a dilapidated building to film, or maybe some leftover antiques rotting away in some of the three-story building’s rooms. Their guide, a local “thrill hunter” named Ronnie, works for the house’s caretaker, Otis Blevins. He assures them that they will be able to explore, completely undisturbed. (NOTE: It’s never a great idea to go into a place that housed dozens of homicides within its tainted walls–especially when you’re trespassing and haven’t told a soul about your destination.)
What Brian Moreland began in his short story “The Girl From the Blood Coven”, goes into frightening new details as the full story behind that fateful night unfolds. For the evil that was born is still awake . . .
. . . And still so very hungry–
Moreland let this story be told throughout the entire course of the novella–not by dumping the entire plot in a one-sitting conversation. His descriptions of the house and noxious mold within were vivid enough for me to feel as though I were walking through the house with the “Urban Explorers”. The sense of foreboding begins immediately, and steadily builds as the novella goes on.
There were a couple of character thoughts and emotions that I felt were out of place in the situation involving them, but other than those, I felt it was a solid read with a conclusion that I was only able to partially predict.
The third story is Moreland’s DARKNESS RISING. This novella had it all: blood, torture, revenge, and so many “grisly” surprises that I can’t give away without spoiling the plot. After a fantastic prologue, I did have doubts as to how the rest of the book would measure up. However, this one had so many horrifying twists, that I wasn’t able to predict the ultimate ending–something that is becoming increasingly rare. Moreland scored high points with me on this one!
The main character, Marty Weaver, is a man you can’t help but feel for. Following a tragedy at the age of nine, his life was spent with abusive foster homes and constant bullying that seemed to follow him, even as he grew and began working minimum wage jobs. His only solace was found by writing poetry in a private journal. “Poetry has an invisible power that transcends the soul.”
Never did I imagine how true this was!
While I first thought of this as another “feel sorry for the poor boy” type of book, I couldn’t have been more mistaken. While that element is present, it’s only a small part of the places Brian Moreland’s words will take you to.
These are NOT the kind of places that you’d ever want to go . . . .
This is probably my favorite story in the collection!
The final novella here is THE VAGRANTS. Daniel Finley, a journalist, goes undercover as one of the many homeless in order to observe their lives, firsthand, for a book he plans on writing.
“My name is Daniel Finley, and I am not one of them” , is the mantra he would secretly scribble in his journal each day. After a charismatic stranger–covered in odd tattoo designs–enters their “community”, he begins preaching to the others. He called himself Mordecai, and soon had every man and woman in the area moving on to be part of his “cult”.
The release of Daniel’s book finds him once more being led back to Mordecai and his followers–and on his other side, the Irish Mafia boss, Drake O’Malley, demanding payment owed him by Daniel’s elderly father. The situations and environments in this novella were truly frightening–especially the scenes in underground, abandoned subway tunnels. The fanatical Mordecai with his talk of an apocalypse that would bring out flesh eating demons was mesmerizing!
My only minor complaints in this novella were that the rest of the characters–especially Daniel’s girlfriend, Connie–felt two-dimensional in comparison to the main character. Also, several comments/situations were unnecessarily pointed out repetitiously that did nothing to add to, or advance the plot in any way.
Aside from this, I found THE VAGRANTS–especially the last half–to be a nerve wracking journey between a known evil (Drake O’Malley), and an unknown, even more sinister one.
Brian Moreland is an emerging talent that is on my “must-read” list with each new release. This collection is a fantastic way to sample some of his writing and originality, all in one place.
Highly recommended!
March 3, 2023
This book was crazy, but good. I was to afraid to read on after each page. That Ronnie is off the wall. This was a scary good treat to read. The writer did an excellent job of keeping riveted to each story. The book has a lot of intense tension to it. Until next time my fellow readers… read on! I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
February 22, 2026
3.5 rounded up to 4
RTC
RTC
April 6, 2016
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is in no way reflected in my opinion of this anthology.
Blood Sacrifices is an anthology of three novellas and one short story that will leave you dying for more of Brian Moreland's books! Each story was better than the last. The Girl From The Blood Coven is the perfect start to this collection. I loved this story! It is intense and spooky, setting the mood for the rest of the book. It also made me want to know more about the things that live in the old Blevins house. Thankfully, The Witching House answered those questions. This novella had several things I love about horror, murderous rednecks, ghosts, and a creature that demands to be fed. Sarah, Dean, Meg and Casey are fun to follow as they try to find out who or what is lurking in the Blevins house. The third novella in this book is Darkness Rising, which I had reviewed previously. This novella ranges from gruesome and terrifying to bittersweet sadness as it carries you along to a fantastic ending. Marty is easy to care about making the bad things that happen even more horrific. The final story is The Vagrants, my favorite found in this collection. Fast paced and terrifying. Cannibal Mutants!! In the subway!! I was doing a happy dance in my heart the entire time I was reading this book. Each story was engrossing and horrific. A highly recommended 4.5 star read.
Blood Sacrifices is an anthology of three novellas and one short story that will leave you dying for more of Brian Moreland's books! Each story was better than the last. The Girl From The Blood Coven is the perfect start to this collection. I loved this story! It is intense and spooky, setting the mood for the rest of the book. It also made me want to know more about the things that live in the old Blevins house. Thankfully, The Witching House answered those questions. This novella had several things I love about horror, murderous rednecks, ghosts, and a creature that demands to be fed. Sarah, Dean, Meg and Casey are fun to follow as they try to find out who or what is lurking in the Blevins house. The third novella in this book is Darkness Rising, which I had reviewed previously. This novella ranges from gruesome and terrifying to bittersweet sadness as it carries you along to a fantastic ending. Marty is easy to care about making the bad things that happen even more horrific. The final story is The Vagrants, my favorite found in this collection. Fast paced and terrifying. Cannibal Mutants!! In the subway!! I was doing a happy dance in my heart the entire time I was reading this book. Each story was engrossing and horrific. A highly recommended 4.5 star read.
April 14, 2016
Story collections are amongst the hardest fiction to review because invariably certain tales will tower above others, just the nature of the beast. Speaking of beasts, Brian Moreland's novella collection, Blood Sacrifices, offers up quite a few. The first tale, "The Girl from the Blood Coven" hardly counts as it's a short story and I'm not that certain it holds up on its own, more like an initial chapter to the following novella, "The Witching House." But, hands down, "The Witching House" is the scariest piece of fiction I've read in a long while. The tale details a group of unfortunate urban explorers who visit the wrong Texas house. We've seen the scenario before. But Moreland's prose puts you right in the house. Terrific. "Darkness Rising" I've detailed in its individual review. To sum up, highly original and interesting although there's some odd and questionable imagery which borders on silly at times. Still very effective. The final tale, "The Vagrants," just didn't do it for me. Of course horror is very subjective, one of the most subjective genres out there, in terms of reading. It probably wasn't up my alley. The writing, as always, is fantastic. But after an effectively mysterious ending, it almost paddles into predictability and filler at times. However, a very strong and creepy finale brings it back swinging. Overall, I'd recommend this collection! Everyone's sure to find something they love.
November 30, 2022
Blood Sacrifices by Brian Moreland.
Three Horror Novellas.
THE WITCHING HOUSE
In 1972, twenty-five people were brutally murdered in one of the bloodiest massacres in Texas history. The mystery of who committed the killings remains unsolved. Over forty years later, Sarah Donovan is scared of just about everything, but today she must confront her fears as she joins her boyfriend and another couple on an exploring adventure. The old abandoned Blevins House, the scene of the gruesome massacre, is rumored to be haunted. The two couples are about to discover the mysterious house has been waiting all these years, craving fresh prey… Includes the short story prequel, “The Girl from the Blood Coven.”
THE SEEKERS
While living under a bridge with the homeless for six months, journalist Daniel Finley witnessed something terrifying. Something that nearly cost him his sanity. Now, two years later, he’s published a book that exposes a deadly underground cult and its charismatic leader who preaches a dark prophecy. Down in the abandoned subway tunnels exist unimaginable horrors that hunger for human flesh. And in a church of darkness, the cult’s numbers are growing. Soon Daniel’s worst nightmares are coming true. A fanatical army is rising to shed blood on the streets of Boston.
DARKNESS RISING
Marty Weaver, an emotionally scarred poet, has been bullied his entire life. When he drives out to the lake to tell an old friend that he’s fallen in love with a girl named Jennifer, Marty encounters three sadistic killers who have some twisted games in store for him. But Marty has dark secrets of his own buried deep inside him. And tonight, when all the pain from the past is triggered, when those secrets are revealed, blood will flow and hell will rise.
I really enjoyed these stories. Different. 4*.
Three Horror Novellas.
THE WITCHING HOUSE
In 1972, twenty-five people were brutally murdered in one of the bloodiest massacres in Texas history. The mystery of who committed the killings remains unsolved. Over forty years later, Sarah Donovan is scared of just about everything, but today she must confront her fears as she joins her boyfriend and another couple on an exploring adventure. The old abandoned Blevins House, the scene of the gruesome massacre, is rumored to be haunted. The two couples are about to discover the mysterious house has been waiting all these years, craving fresh prey… Includes the short story prequel, “The Girl from the Blood Coven.”
THE SEEKERS
While living under a bridge with the homeless for six months, journalist Daniel Finley witnessed something terrifying. Something that nearly cost him his sanity. Now, two years later, he’s published a book that exposes a deadly underground cult and its charismatic leader who preaches a dark prophecy. Down in the abandoned subway tunnels exist unimaginable horrors that hunger for human flesh. And in a church of darkness, the cult’s numbers are growing. Soon Daniel’s worst nightmares are coming true. A fanatical army is rising to shed blood on the streets of Boston.
DARKNESS RISING
Marty Weaver, an emotionally scarred poet, has been bullied his entire life. When he drives out to the lake to tell an old friend that he’s fallen in love with a girl named Jennifer, Marty encounters three sadistic killers who have some twisted games in store for him. But Marty has dark secrets of his own buried deep inside him. And tonight, when all the pain from the past is triggered, when those secrets are revealed, blood will flow and hell will rise.
I really enjoyed these stories. Different. 4*.
February 23, 2023
The book contains three horror novellas. The Witching House, The Seekers, and Darkness Rising, The Witching House is about a group of people that explore a murder house where twenty-five people have perished. What the couples do not know yet is that the house holds sinister secrets, and they have to fight to survive. An intriguing horror and thriller story. The story and plot kept a steady speed. The characters were well written.
The Seekers is about an underground cult that preys on the homeless people. Giving false hope to people that need help the most. Daniel is a journalist who has discovered this cult and the disturbing events that occurred while living among them. There are twists and turns that enhanced the story in a short time period. The characters excellent and interesting.
In Darkness Rising, Marty is a great character, and you never know what to expect what will happen. He starts off as a small person but becomes a different person at the end. This story was my favorite, you don't really know what lies within a person and what people are capable of. Magnificent storytelling and the characters were written with such great care. A must read for horror fans.
Disclaimer: Thank you NetGalley and BookGoSocial for this copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Seekers is about an underground cult that preys on the homeless people. Giving false hope to people that need help the most. Daniel is a journalist who has discovered this cult and the disturbing events that occurred while living among them. There are twists and turns that enhanced the story in a short time period. The characters excellent and interesting.
In Darkness Rising, Marty is a great character, and you never know what to expect what will happen. He starts off as a small person but becomes a different person at the end. This story was my favorite, you don't really know what lies within a person and what people are capable of. Magnificent storytelling and the characters were written with such great care. A must read for horror fans.
Disclaimer: Thank you NetGalley and BookGoSocial for this copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 10, 2023
Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This book has three short stories in it.
The first feels very much like a lot of other horror movies where someone brings them to the house with ghosts and bad intentions. I’ve seen this many times, and this story didn’t really give me anything new.
The second story was pretty interesting! I loved the idea of a homeless messiah and creepy human eating monsters. However, the mafia plot was stale and boring. It took a lot away from a good story.
Finally the last story. Ugh. It felt like an incel wet dream. It was interesting, but ugh the darkness inside me stuff…. It was too much.
All of this felt very stale. I wanted to enjoy it. I thought the actual horror parts were interesting, but the actual writing and plot was cliche. I wasn’t the biggest fan, but they were alright.
This book has three short stories in it.
The first feels very much like a lot of other horror movies where someone brings them to the house with ghosts and bad intentions. I’ve seen this many times, and this story didn’t really give me anything new.
The second story was pretty interesting! I loved the idea of a homeless messiah and creepy human eating monsters. However, the mafia plot was stale and boring. It took a lot away from a good story.
Finally the last story. Ugh. It felt like an incel wet dream. It was interesting, but ugh the darkness inside me stuff…. It was too much.
All of this felt very stale. I wanted to enjoy it. I thought the actual horror parts were interesting, but the actual writing and plot was cliche. I wasn’t the biggest fan, but they were alright.
December 25, 2022
Great horror book with short stories! Loved reading this one! Highly recommend!
December 28, 2022
Review to come
May 28, 2025
This collection of three novellas gets stronger as the stories progress, with the final tale, “Darkness Rising”, packing an unexpected emotional wallop. Not the scariest stories you’ve ever read, but certainly entertaining.
December 19, 2022
This is a case for me of an author having some good ideas, but then just falling short in the execution of them. Of the three novellas (and one prequel short story), 'The Witch House' was my favourite, as it seemed to be the one that had the most logical progression. Unfortunately, the prose itself is a bit clunky and this can take you out of the story a bit, but it does have some genuinely creepy moments and I enjoyed the slasher film vibes. The second novella was an improvement in the writing but I didn't connect to the story as much. I felt that the plot regarding the Irish mobsters felt a bit shoe-horned in and didn't quite fit with the rest of the tone, which had a cosmic horror vibe. Unfortunately, I really didn't like the final novella. The plot was disjointed and jumped from one thing to another - I just felt like the story didn't know what it wanted to be so it tried to do too much. Overall, I think that there is definitely some promise for this author if he can polish up his prose a bit, but this collection didn't work for me.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
January 25, 2023
Wow. First time reading Brian Moreland, and these three novellas were a great introduction. All three were great, but The Witching House was probably my favorite. All three had enjoyable characters, and a great story/pacing. Had to read each one in one sitting. Just picked up one of his novels, The Devil's Woods, and can't wait to see if the novels are as good as the novellas. #BloodSacrifices #NetGalley
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