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Slaughter #1
Children To The Slaughter
Etwas Böses lauert in der Dunkelheit, unter den Betten und hinter den Schranktüren. Es sucht Rache und Vergeltung und darf nicht verleugnet werden.
Niemand weiß das besser als Alan Carter. Als er nach zwanzigjähriger Abwesenheit in seine Heimatstadt zurückkehrt, ist er entschlossen, die Wahrheit hinter der Entführung seiner Schwester und dem seltsamen Verschwinden mehrerer Kinder aufzudecken. Zusammen mit seiner Freundin aus Kindheitstagen findet sich Alan Carter inmitten einer Verschwörung wieder. Diese wird vom Rat der Stadt angeführt, der verzweifelt versucht, seine Geheimnisse vor der Welt zu verbergen.
Kein Kind in Melington ist sicher. Alan Carter muss den Fluch stoppen, der seine Heimatstadt seit Generationen heimsucht. Doch als Alans Begegnungen mit dem Tod immer zahlreicher werden, verlässt ihn das Glück.
Niemand weiß das besser als Alan Carter. Als er nach zwanzigjähriger Abwesenheit in seine Heimatstadt zurückkehrt, ist er entschlossen, die Wahrheit hinter der Entführung seiner Schwester und dem seltsamen Verschwinden mehrerer Kinder aufzudecken. Zusammen mit seiner Freundin aus Kindheitstagen findet sich Alan Carter inmitten einer Verschwörung wieder. Diese wird vom Rat der Stadt angeführt, der verzweifelt versucht, seine Geheimnisse vor der Welt zu verbergen.
Kein Kind in Melington ist sicher. Alan Carter muss den Fluch stoppen, der seine Heimatstadt seit Generationen heimsucht. Doch als Alans Begegnungen mit dem Tod immer zahlreicher werden, verlässt ihn das Glück.
179 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 29, 2016
638 people are currently reading
857 people want to read
About the author
A.I. Nasser
47 books84 followersAt the age of four, Ahmed I. Nasser’s parents decided that the best way to keep a hyperactive child occupied was to teach him how to read and constantly bombard him with books. Since then, the world of imagination has constantly consumed him. He quickly decided that the only way to feel fulfilled was to spend his time writing one story after the other, even opting out of a career as a pediatrician, despite ten years of struggling through med-school.
Influenced by Stephen King, Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, he has been writing since the age of 12 while travelling the world with his family. Now, finally settled in Egypt, he divides his time between teaching Middle School English Literature and finding the best ways to scare his family and friends.
Instagram:
theainasser
Influenced by Stephen King, Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, he has been writing since the age of 12 while travelling the world with his family. Now, finally settled in Egypt, he divides his time between teaching Middle School English Literature and finding the best ways to scare his family and friends.
Instagram:
theainasser
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
July 29, 2016
Alan Carter returns to his hometown Melington 20 years after his sister's abduction. He has been obsessed with her disappearance, firmly believing that the abnormally high number of children disappearing from the town isn't simply a coincidence. He decides to expose the town's secret and sets himself on a collision course with the town's council.
Alan's present day story is interjected with journal entries from 1826 written by Jeremiah Carter who has lost his daughter. These two plotlines come together cleverly at the end, and although the book doesn't end with a cliffhanger as such, the story resumes in Shadow's Embrace.
This was my first time reading anything by A.N. Nasser and I have to admit, if it hadn't been for Jake Urry gifting me a copy of the audiobook, I probably wouldn't have picked this book, simply because the title sounded too disturbing.
It is no doubt a horror story, but it was actually quite subtle. There is some violence and obviously, a dark theme involving children, but it's more creepy than bloodthirsty horror. I really enjoyed it.
The writing was taut and generally very well done. The only thing I found slightly irritating was the repetitive nature in which Deborah was referred to as "the brunette".
The quality of the audio production was terrific. At the beginning of the audio, I thought I was listening to two different narrators. It was really well done. The suspenseful tone and the spine-chilling nature of the horror elements were done perfectly.
Recommended for anybody who enjoys sinister mysteries with some horror and/or paranormal elements.
Alan's present day story is interjected with journal entries from 1826 written by Jeremiah Carter who has lost his daughter. These two plotlines come together cleverly at the end, and although the book doesn't end with a cliffhanger as such, the story resumes in Shadow's Embrace.
This was my first time reading anything by A.N. Nasser and I have to admit, if it hadn't been for Jake Urry gifting me a copy of the audiobook, I probably wouldn't have picked this book, simply because the title sounded too disturbing.
It is no doubt a horror story, but it was actually quite subtle. There is some violence and obviously, a dark theme involving children, but it's more creepy than bloodthirsty horror. I really enjoyed it.
The writing was taut and generally very well done. The only thing I found slightly irritating was the repetitive nature in which Deborah was referred to as "the brunette".
The quality of the audio production was terrific. At the beginning of the audio, I thought I was listening to two different narrators. It was really well done. The suspenseful tone and the spine-chilling nature of the horror elements were done perfectly.
Recommended for anybody who enjoys sinister mysteries with some horror and/or paranormal elements.
August 10, 2016
Children to the Slaughter was a creepy and interesting audiobook. With children leaving town on more than natural occasions the town has always had a history of a quick turnover in families.
When Alan Carter comes back to Melington, he keeps his cards close to his vest as he tries to figure out exactly what is going on here. His own little sister disappeared when she was little. The only witness was Alan. He never forgot the hand that pulled her down into the sandbox. His family left the town directly after her disappearance. After twenty years he returns.
Bit and pieces wiggle and meld themselves into a very intricate plot. Debra the best friend of Alan from when they were both children is surprised to see him return. She has no clue he has more reasons than just to work.
Alan's conspiracy theory hits Debra hard and she turns away from him. There are too many strange occurrences of missing children for decades.
The story is riveting. The narration is eerily wonderful. The voices that Jake Urry presents bring a very emotional response to the tension-filled words that A.I. Nasser writes.
If you love a good horror story, with hands in the dark, turning closet doorknobs and missing children, you are going to love this book. I imagine reading it would give as many chills, but if you want the full effect, get the Audiobook. It is completely chilling.
When Alan Carter comes back to Melington, he keeps his cards close to his vest as he tries to figure out exactly what is going on here. His own little sister disappeared when she was little. The only witness was Alan. He never forgot the hand that pulled her down into the sandbox. His family left the town directly after her disappearance. After twenty years he returns.
Bit and pieces wiggle and meld themselves into a very intricate plot. Debra the best friend of Alan from when they were both children is surprised to see him return. She has no clue he has more reasons than just to work.
Alan's conspiracy theory hits Debra hard and she turns away from him. There are too many strange occurrences of missing children for decades.
The story is riveting. The narration is eerily wonderful. The voices that Jake Urry presents bring a very emotional response to the tension-filled words that A.I. Nasser writes.
If you love a good horror story, with hands in the dark, turning closet doorknobs and missing children, you are going to love this book. I imagine reading it would give as many chills, but if you want the full effect, get the Audiobook. It is completely chilling.
May 31, 2016
Can't recommend.
I can't honestly recommend a book I have no desire to read. I read 69% of this story and it went nowhere. The characters did not inspire me to want to care about them, or know more. Alan's big deal is that everyone thought he was crazy...ok...after 20 years get off the poor pitiful me train. No one likes or respects anyone. They are all keeping a big secret. If you can't grab my attention in over half of a book, it's not happening. Who cares if Deborah and Michael have a lousy relationship. Deborah comes off as such a shallow, small minded mess anyway. I really am sorry I had nothing good to say. I give an honest review. Perhaps if the author tries again, I will give it a look.
I can't honestly recommend a book I have no desire to read. I read 69% of this story and it went nowhere. The characters did not inspire me to want to care about them, or know more. Alan's big deal is that everyone thought he was crazy...ok...after 20 years get off the poor pitiful me train. No one likes or respects anyone. They are all keeping a big secret. If you can't grab my attention in over half of a book, it's not happening. Who cares if Deborah and Michael have a lousy relationship. Deborah comes off as such a shallow, small minded mess anyway. I really am sorry I had nothing good to say. I give an honest review. Perhaps if the author tries again, I will give it a look.
May 4, 2016
Review: CHILDREN TO THE SLAUGHTER by A. I. Nasser [Slaughter Series Book 1]
This is the first story I've read from A. I. Nasser, and I'm quite impressed. The story is very twisty, tautly plotted, and as the contemporary situation of the town (and a horrible situation it is) is securely founded in history (1826), the historical record is cleverly interwoven. I alternated between "oh no!!!" And "I can't believe these people would stoop to---" which made this story an absorbing one-session read for me. I'm off to read the next in the series.
Caution: Although the story relies on character, an unexpected plot, and subtle horror--there are some instances of outright violence, a few graphic descriptions, and a whole lot of grief and sorrow [plus several characters I wanted to shake senseless). Also, it does focus on the disappearance of multiple children (although not in detail). Just a gentle caution.
This is the first story I've read from A. I. Nasser, and I'm quite impressed. The story is very twisty, tautly plotted, and as the contemporary situation of the town (and a horrible situation it is) is securely founded in history (1826), the historical record is cleverly interwoven. I alternated between "oh no!!!" And "I can't believe these people would stoop to---" which made this story an absorbing one-session read for me. I'm off to read the next in the series.
Caution: Although the story relies on character, an unexpected plot, and subtle horror--there are some instances of outright violence, a few graphic descriptions, and a whole lot of grief and sorrow [plus several characters I wanted to shake senseless). Also, it does focus on the disappearance of multiple children (although not in detail). Just a gentle caution.
February 8, 2018
The writing itself is decent enough. There are a few mistakes here and there that show that this book didn't get as many once-overs as it needed but overall I have little problem with the writing.
The plot is a whole other story. The premise is not original and half-baked, and for a "horror" book the entire thing was not scary in the slightest. I easily predicted everything that would happen at every turn.
The timeline did not make sense to me, the year chosen for the past seemed to be a choice of pure convenience that never added up to the present setting, unless I somehow missed something major. The diary entries are not very well placed or well done and for some reason I can't quite pinpoint they annoyed me.
The foreshadowing was not well done and it irked me every time I noticed it.
I felt no sympathy or connection to any of the characters, which isn't too unusual for a short book, and a horror at that.
I understand this book is the first of the series but I am not at all compelled to venture any further, but I hope for the sake of readers who do that it gets better as it goes on. I barely managed to finish this first one and only did because of how short of a read it was, if it was any longer it would have been scrapped. I was also holding out for the ending, thinking maybe the end could redeem the rest just a little bit. but no, the ending was just as bad as the rest of it, worse even.
I would not recommend this book to anyone. 1 star.
The plot is a whole other story. The premise is not original and half-baked, and for a "horror" book the entire thing was not scary in the slightest. I easily predicted everything that would happen at every turn.
The timeline did not make sense to me, the year chosen for the past seemed to be a choice of pure convenience that never added up to the present setting, unless I somehow missed something major. The diary entries are not very well placed or well done and for some reason I can't quite pinpoint they annoyed me.
The foreshadowing was not well done and it irked me every time I noticed it.
I felt no sympathy or connection to any of the characters, which isn't too unusual for a short book, and a horror at that.
I understand this book is the first of the series but I am not at all compelled to venture any further, but I hope for the sake of readers who do that it gets better as it goes on. I barely managed to finish this first one and only did because of how short of a read it was, if it was any longer it would have been scrapped. I was also holding out for the ending, thinking maybe the end could redeem the rest just a little bit. but no, the ending was just as bad as the rest of it, worse even.
I would not recommend this book to anyone. 1 star.
October 5, 2017
So this book was really good! I am not a big mystery fan but I was hooked from beginning to end!
So we have the town of Melington, where there have been disappearance for as long as people can remember back in the 1800 the daughter of Jeremiah Carter was kidnapped , in his grief he was hellbent to find the person responsible and just pretty much off of a hunch deemed that Copper Tibet was the man who had kidnapped his daughter, only to figure out shortly before the man was hung and burned alive that he was indeed innocent and the person who was to blame was his own wife!!!!
WHAT!!!!!
Copper swore on the town that there children would never be safe, that he was damning them all to hell. Fast forward to present day. Children are still being kidnapped, but this time it is by the spirit/demon of Copper Tibet himself and the council, the descendants of the same people who condemned him to death the first time have to make sure that no one is the wiser. It is not until Alan Carter comes back to his home time that things begin to go haywire as he knows that these children are being taken and not just leaving like the stories say. He goes one on one with the spirit of Copper... then it ENDS!!!! Talk about a freaking cliffhanger!!
So we have the town of Melington, where there have been disappearance for as long as people can remember back in the 1800 the daughter of Jeremiah Carter was kidnapped , in his grief he was hellbent to find the person responsible and just pretty much off of a hunch deemed that Copper Tibet was the man who had kidnapped his daughter, only to figure out shortly before the man was hung and burned alive that he was indeed innocent and the person who was to blame was his own wife!!!!
WHAT!!!!!
Copper swore on the town that there children would never be safe, that he was damning them all to hell. Fast forward to present day. Children are still being kidnapped, but this time it is by the spirit/demon of Copper Tibet himself and the council, the descendants of the same people who condemned him to death the first time have to make sure that no one is the wiser. It is not until Alan Carter comes back to his home time that things begin to go haywire as he knows that these children are being taken and not just leaving like the stories say. He goes one on one with the spirit of Copper... then it ENDS!!!! Talk about a freaking cliffhanger!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2017
This book was okay...ish.
It's the first story I've read by this author. His writing style is not bad and it turned out to be a pretty fast read, but the problem I have with this story is that there was nothing original and surprising about it.
Sure, it's the first one in a trilogy, but it didn't impress me enough to want to read the rest.
I can recommend this for younger readers who wants to explore the horror genre, or those who want to work their way up to the bigger horror names. Not really any gore and, for lack of a better word, innocent horror.
Personally, if you want to read about ancient curses and children as the victims, I can recommend three novels that are far superior to this story:
SUFFER THE CHILDREN by John Saul.
FLESH AND BLOOD by Graham Masterton.
(and, of course, the mother of horror novels) IT by Stephen King.
I wouldn't write this author off, just yet, but it was very tame for my taste.
It's the first story I've read by this author. His writing style is not bad and it turned out to be a pretty fast read, but the problem I have with this story is that there was nothing original and surprising about it.
Sure, it's the first one in a trilogy, but it didn't impress me enough to want to read the rest.
I can recommend this for younger readers who wants to explore the horror genre, or those who want to work their way up to the bigger horror names. Not really any gore and, for lack of a better word, innocent horror.
Personally, if you want to read about ancient curses and children as the victims, I can recommend three novels that are far superior to this story:
SUFFER THE CHILDREN by John Saul.
FLESH AND BLOOD by Graham Masterton.
(and, of course, the mother of horror novels) IT by Stephen King.
I wouldn't write this author off, just yet, but it was very tame for my taste.
October 10, 2018
This was so good and so creepy! I definitely plan to read the sequel ASAP.
September 29, 2017
This was one of those why not kindle freebies. Fairly by the book genre story...evil in a small town, ancient secrets, sins of the fathers, etc., but all done quite well for what it is. Wherein Nasser won't win any records for originality, he followed the formula very ably, so it's a perfectly readable and even quite entertaining read. The author seems to specialize in series and this one, no exception, is just a first, so it doesn't have a particularly satisfying stand alone sort of feel or ending, it's basically a preview. The trick being...write a proper length novel, separate it into three parts, offer the first one for free, draw some readers in, charge them for the rest. Not ideal...but everyone got bills to pay. I don't think I'd continue with it, unless the other installations were also free, but this was fun enough, had some nicely creepy scenes and such a quick read too.
December 1, 2025
Pēc 20 gadu prombūtnes savā dzimtajā Melingtonas mazpilsētā atgriežas Slaughter sērijas galvenais varonis Alans Kārters. Tieši tik sen Alana Kārteru ģimene piedzīvoja traģisku dienu, kad par šoku visiem tika nolaupīta Alana māsa Katrīna un tā arī vairs līdz šim neatrasta. Vēl jo traģiskāks notikums bija arī Alanam, kurš attiecīgajā momentā bija turpat blakus un bezspēcīgi varēja noraudzīties, kā no zemes izlīdusi pārdabiska un šausminoša paskata roka parauj māsu nebūtībā. Notikums, kas saprotami atstāj paliekošas sekas uz Alana psiholoģisko stāvokli vēl tagad, īpaši, kad neviens viņa stāstam nenotic un noraksta uz pārāk aktīvu fantāziju un traumatisko notikumu kā tādu.
https://poseidons99.com/2025/12/01/a-...
https://poseidons99.com/2025/12/01/a-...
December 13, 2016
4.75 stars!
Alan Carter returns to his hometown 20 years after the disappearance of his younger sister. There had been an alarming number of disappearing children and all his life he believed that there was something more suspicious going on ever since he saw the hand that took his sister away. He has the intentions to expose the town for their secret - but will the Council let him live long enough to do so?
As another reviewer said, this is definitely horror but very subtle. I've always had a not-so-irrational fear of child abduction and really being abducted in general. This really gave me the chills. I don't know if it's because I'm reading it in a dark room or if it actually got to me. There's something about spooky books do, but I get so much more immersed in them than I do a regular book. I literally felt like I was watching this happen on TV as I was reading it. I usually don't like books that have two different timelines happening at the same time; however, this wasn't obnoxious or hard to keep up with like a lot of others. A.I. Nasser was a new author for me and he did not disappoint. Granted the writing isn't magical or anything, but I enjoyed reading the story. If you're into anything supernatural, spooky, sinister, or you just have a fucked up mind... I would definitely recommend this! Plus, it's not even 200 pages so seriously... why not?
Alan Carter returns to his hometown 20 years after the disappearance of his younger sister. There had been an alarming number of disappearing children and all his life he believed that there was something more suspicious going on ever since he saw the hand that took his sister away. He has the intentions to expose the town for their secret - but will the Council let him live long enough to do so?
As another reviewer said, this is definitely horror but very subtle. I've always had a not-so-irrational fear of child abduction and really being abducted in general. This really gave me the chills. I don't know if it's because I'm reading it in a dark room or if it actually got to me. There's something about spooky books do, but I get so much more immersed in them than I do a regular book. I literally felt like I was watching this happen on TV as I was reading it. I usually don't like books that have two different timelines happening at the same time; however, this wasn't obnoxious or hard to keep up with like a lot of others. A.I. Nasser was a new author for me and he did not disappoint. Granted the writing isn't magical or anything, but I enjoyed reading the story. If you're into anything supernatural, spooky, sinister, or you just have a fucked up mind... I would definitely recommend this! Plus, it's not even 200 pages so seriously... why not?
August 6, 2016
SLOW MOVING "HORROR" STORY LACKING IN SCARES
Format: Audible Audio Edition
***POSSIBLE SPOILERS***
A well-written but sluggish story with little suspense. A town secret spanning generations. Dying children. A nebulous town "Council". Superfluous diary entries ("Woe is me; woe is me.") back to the 1820s when the curse began. The drawn out but inevitable romance between our two protagonists. Wiggling doorknobs. An ill-defined monster with a strong grip lurking in sofas, sandboxes and children's closets. Not credible, interesting or frightening. A couple of bonus endings only added to the confusion. The narrator was fine with creepy narration and accents but, due to his languid delivery, made the audiobook feel even longer than it was. I was glad when this "nightmare" was over. Will not be reading additional books in this series.
I was given a free copy of this audiobook through Audiobook Boom for an honest review.
Format: Audible Audio Edition
***POSSIBLE SPOILERS***
A well-written but sluggish story with little suspense. A town secret spanning generations. Dying children. A nebulous town "Council". Superfluous diary entries ("Woe is me; woe is me.") back to the 1820s when the curse began. The drawn out but inevitable romance between our two protagonists. Wiggling doorknobs. An ill-defined monster with a strong grip lurking in sofas, sandboxes and children's closets. Not credible, interesting or frightening. A couple of bonus endings only added to the confusion. The narrator was fine with creepy narration and accents but, due to his languid delivery, made the audiobook feel even longer than it was. I was glad when this "nightmare" was over. Will not be reading additional books in this series.
I was given a free copy of this audiobook through Audiobook Boom for an honest review.
February 25, 2019
Alan Carter witnessed his sisters disappearance when he was young but no one believed him. All he could say was a hand reached out and took her. His family eventually left the town but 20 years later and Alan returned. While Melington has changed since he left, kids are still disappearing and Alan is determined to get to the bottom of it.
This was such a creepy read. It's definitely horror, but a tame horror with a lot of mystery thrown in. The plot takes a while to fully come together because it's told from both present time and from journal entries from the 1800s, but it cleverly melds together towards the end and you get that aha moment!! It was well written and developed, and the pacing was perfect, but the best bit for me was the mystery and trying to figure out what was happening and why.
The cast of characters were varied, but all were well written and developed. Alan and Deborah are old friends and I liked both of them. The members of the council are mostly mysterious and you just know something is up with them, and I'm looking forward to finding a lot of things out.
In all, this was a creepy read. It's a slow burner but well worth the effort because I can tell the series is going to be so good!! I can't wait to read the next one.
Jake Urry is exceptional as always. He can bring a creepy atmosphere to life like no other. I think his voice was the reason I enjoyed this so much because he was able to bring chills to my spine!!
This was such a creepy read. It's definitely horror, but a tame horror with a lot of mystery thrown in. The plot takes a while to fully come together because it's told from both present time and from journal entries from the 1800s, but it cleverly melds together towards the end and you get that aha moment!! It was well written and developed, and the pacing was perfect, but the best bit for me was the mystery and trying to figure out what was happening and why.
The cast of characters were varied, but all were well written and developed. Alan and Deborah are old friends and I liked both of them. The members of the council are mostly mysterious and you just know something is up with them, and I'm looking forward to finding a lot of things out.
In all, this was a creepy read. It's a slow burner but well worth the effort because I can tell the series is going to be so good!! I can't wait to read the next one.
Jake Urry is exceptional as always. He can bring a creepy atmosphere to life like no other. I think his voice was the reason I enjoyed this so much because he was able to bring chills to my spine!!
January 28, 2017
Riveting..Creepy...A complex and intriguing story..A story that will keep you glued to the pages. A.I.Nasser is indeed a fresh new talent
December 2, 2019
Book 87/55: Children to the Slaughter by A. I. Nasser. Phenomenal, eerie and super spooky. A quick version reminiscent of IT, of an evil lurking in a town and adults who conspire to assist this evil believing a greater good. I love how the author writes his story, it makes me want to grab the second novel and keep learning about this Copper Tibet. If you love spooky, I recommend!
June 21, 2021
Children to the Slaughter is a unique horror story. The narrator is excellent. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
September 5, 2016
This was pretty creepy. I read/listen to a lot of thrillers and horror novels and am not usually creeped out, but this one did!
The fact that that a common childhood fear was brought to "reality" in this book was part of what made this kind of scary. There was also a lot that you learned from what wasn't said, which I think adds to the intrigue. I definitely want to see what will happen in the next book!
The narration was amazing. I'm a huge Jake Urry fan, and he took the creepiness of this story to a whole different level. I didn't read the print version of this, just listened to the audio, but would DEFINITELY recommend the audio version.
This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom
The fact that that a common childhood fear was brought to "reality" in this book was part of what made this kind of scary. There was also a lot that you learned from what wasn't said, which I think adds to the intrigue. I definitely want to see what will happen in the next book!
The narration was amazing. I'm a huge Jake Urry fan, and he took the creepiness of this story to a whole different level. I didn't read the print version of this, just listened to the audio, but would DEFINITELY recommend the audio version.
This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom
April 26, 2020
Terror time
Children are the innocents and this town has been losing their innocence for a very long time. Old resident Alan moves back to try and figure out what happened to his sister all those years ago. Unknowingly, he is thrown into the towns contract with his best friend growing up Debbie. There are twists and turns I. This story that make your mind bend and warp with the author. Cliff hanger leaves you holding on for dear life.
Children are the innocents and this town has been losing their innocence for a very long time. Old resident Alan moves back to try and figure out what happened to his sister all those years ago. Unknowingly, he is thrown into the towns contract with his best friend growing up Debbie. There are twists and turns I. This story that make your mind bend and warp with the author. Cliff hanger leaves you holding on for dear life.
May 26, 2020
Alan Carter witnesses his sisters disappearance but no one believes him. All he could say was a hand reached out and took her. The storyline is well developed, the characters are well written and believable. Now you have his family moving away. He will come back 20 years later. The town has changed. This story starts slow, but it has a good plot. It is good on audible as it keeps you on the edge of your seat. Jake Urry does an excellant job with narration. I enjoyed this book.
June 12, 2016
Great book
Read in a few hours. Loved the characters, the building of the storyline was done well, I recommend this writer. The ending was rushed but good. I am going to read the next.
Read in a few hours. Loved the characters, the building of the storyline was done well, I recommend this writer. The ending was rushed but good. I am going to read the next.
April 14, 2020
Super
What a thrilling and nail-biting novel. Totally intrigued and engaging from the beginning to the end. Marvellous plot. All the characters played their respective parts extremely well. Thoroughly recommend it.
What a thrilling and nail-biting novel. Totally intrigued and engaging from the beginning to the end. Marvellous plot. All the characters played their respective parts extremely well. Thoroughly recommend it.
May 5, 2016
CREEPY !!
October 3, 2016
3 stars
The book was OK, there were some awkward word choices. The characters could have been developed more. Also the story moved slowly and was confusing in places .
The book was OK, there were some awkward word choices. The characters could have been developed more. Also the story moved slowly and was confusing in places .
January 8, 2017
started this awhile ago! just finished it!! i thought it was great and cant wait to start the 2nd one!
July 23, 2020
Rate the book!
This was a terrifying book but very good. When I was a little girl, I was crazy scared of the dark. This book reminded me of that. You are a really good writer.
This was a terrifying book but very good. When I was a little girl, I was crazy scared of the dark. This book reminded me of that. You are a really good writer.
March 25, 2017
Bad. I really wanted to give this story a try since I asked the narrator for a free copy. Given I listened to the story, it took forever to get through that five hours of narrating. Maybe it was the actual story or the way the narrator spoke or both. I don’t know. I was bored. I didn’t find anything scary or interesting or any other feeling besides boredom.
The narrator? Well, I’m not sure how I felt about him (and I have two more stories to listen to by him). He has a very interesting voice/accent and did pretty good with the different characters and different voices. But because of his accent, there were certain words where he’d pronounce wrong/different. One such example is the word garage; he’d pronounce it more as “gare-reg” (not sure if that would even be the correct spelling/pronunciation of it in written form). Either way, I started getting annoyed whenever he said.
The main female character was so annoying when she found the surprise in Alan’s garage. She sees different notes that Alan had written that question where the child is now, how he or she hasn’t been reenrolled in a different school, or how no one has seen the child or family. How would reading those notes, seeing pictures of kids with articles about them missing not have her think he was more of an investigator rather than a crazy person? The fact that she wouldn’t even consider that what he was saying was true was…I don’t know what it was, stupidity? Like it wouldn’t have been easy to do a search to see, for example, where her student was? It just made no sense to me.
So, Copper’s ghost. . . what exactly is going on with him? You might see his eyes, but the only other part is his arm that grabs you? Something about him hiding under a couch just seems really strange.
The fact the ending was unfinished didn’t even bother me at that point. And what was with the bonus scenes? Who does that in this type of story? Was the author hoping this story would make it into a movie one day? Who knows?! In the end, I wouldn’t recommend this story.
The narrator? Well, I’m not sure how I felt about him (and I have two more stories to listen to by him). He has a very interesting voice/accent and did pretty good with the different characters and different voices. But because of his accent, there were certain words where he’d pronounce wrong/different. One such example is the word garage; he’d pronounce it more as “gare-reg” (not sure if that would even be the correct spelling/pronunciation of it in written form). Either way, I started getting annoyed whenever he said.
The main female character was so annoying when she found the surprise in Alan’s garage. She sees different notes that Alan had written that question where the child is now, how he or she hasn’t been reenrolled in a different school, or how no one has seen the child or family. How would reading those notes, seeing pictures of kids with articles about them missing not have her think he was more of an investigator rather than a crazy person? The fact that she wouldn’t even consider that what he was saying was true was…I don’t know what it was, stupidity? Like it wouldn’t have been easy to do a search to see, for example, where her student was? It just made no sense to me.
So, Copper’s ghost. . . what exactly is going on with him? You might see his eyes, but the only other part is his arm that grabs you? Something about him hiding under a couch just seems really strange.
The fact the ending was unfinished didn’t even bother me at that point. And what was with the bonus scenes? Who does that in this type of story? Was the author hoping this story would make it into a movie one day? Who knows?! In the end, I wouldn’t recommend this story.
August 11, 2019
This is a story I’ve had stuck on my kindle for like 2 years and had been given it to read per the author’s request. I’m just now getting around to read it lol. Hey, better late than never, am I right?
Anyway, Children to the Slaughter is a solid OKAY novel (hence the two ** rating). It isn’t anything wildly imaginative and the storyline is really serialized to the point that it was like reading a novelization of a daytime soap.
This novel (or novella, really) is set in like the late 00s, early 10’s ish era. (08, 09 ish) back when smartphones were hot garbage, GPS did more harm than good and when social media was a place where you interacted with people you knew in real life and not the meme infested, pseudo-intellectualism it has become today. Okay, let me take the rose-tinted glasses off. Children to the Slaughter is a typical small-town horror novella where children are kidnapped by some supernatural beast that runs amuck at night.
The story has promise, but I just feel it played its cards way too close for comfort. The prose is so very clerical and plain to the point that it became aggravating. It’s like when you drink lukewarm water, it doesn’t quite quench your thirst but it’s better than nothing. I guess I’ve become spoiled with reading novels with electrifying prose that it’s become an expectation. So after forcing those expectations aside, I could roll with what was going on.
The characters are pretty basic, ordinary people (sometimes its refreshing to read fiction with ordinary characters living ordinary lives). They serve their point and give you that hefty dose of realism and relatability. The plot is short but meanders through the motions until getting somewhere. And when it does finally get somewhere, it ends without actually resolving anything, urging you to get into the sequels.
Honestly, I’m not a big sequel reader, but I do recommend Children to the Slaughter to anyone wanting to fill a slow Sunday afternoon with.
June 13, 2018
Imaginative and engaging but flawed
Story is well told and the descriptions of the horrific portions are suitably paced and hold your interest. That does not mean that all is perfect, the situation is fairly unrealistic and the character’s approach and reaction to the plot are not even remotely natural. Not possible to go too deeply into specifics, for fear of spoilers, but suffice to say, this tale is complete fiction. I guess most scary stories are. The only other issue I have is the weak scare element and pulled punches. The primary elements that are scary about the story is the terror of lost children and the terror those children experience being taken. More is written about the fear of characters that are not even directly related to the crime than the fear and experiences of the children or parents themselves. We get a deeper look into the conflicted and tortured minds of accomplices than we do into the perpetrator or the victims. Perhaps the later books in the series remedy this. Still a pretty good book
Story is well told and the descriptions of the horrific portions are suitably paced and hold your interest. That does not mean that all is perfect, the situation is fairly unrealistic and the character’s approach and reaction to the plot are not even remotely natural. Not possible to go too deeply into specifics, for fear of spoilers, but suffice to say, this tale is complete fiction. I guess most scary stories are. The only other issue I have is the weak scare element and pulled punches. The primary elements that are scary about the story is the terror of lost children and the terror those children experience being taken. More is written about the fear of characters that are not even directly related to the crime than the fear and experiences of the children or parents themselves. We get a deeper look into the conflicted and tortured minds of accomplices than we do into the perpetrator or the victims. Perhaps the later books in the series remedy this. Still a pretty good book
June 21, 2018
When Cooper Tibet was wrongfully convicted of kidnapping and murdering two children in 1826, he was hung and burned to death. As he died, he cursed the small town of Melington, screaming that their children will never be safe.
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190 years later, children are still occasionally being taken, never to be seen again. This time, their blood is on the hands of the descendants of the town's founding families. When Alan Carter returns to town after 20 years, he is determined to discover the evil the town is not only hiding, but feeding.
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A.I. Nasser has created a new series, with a gripping premise and a storyline site tio keep the reader riveted. While not a tricky new idea, there is enough originality to prevent the reader from feeling "Oh, this story again". This isn't a long book, about three hours long for me, but Nasser did not waste pages with unnecessary backstory or unnecessary dialogue. This tale is quick and right to the point. Just the way a good horror tale should be.
.
190 years later, children are still occasionally being taken, never to be seen again. This time, their blood is on the hands of the descendants of the town's founding families. When Alan Carter returns to town after 20 years, he is determined to discover the evil the town is not only hiding, but feeding.
.
A.I. Nasser has created a new series, with a gripping premise and a storyline site tio keep the reader riveted. While not a tricky new idea, there is enough originality to prevent the reader from feeling "Oh, this story again". This isn't a long book, about three hours long for me, but Nasser did not waste pages with unnecessary backstory or unnecessary dialogue. This tale is quick and right to the point. Just the way a good horror tale should be.
August 13, 2018
Children to the Slaughter is an interesting horror book by A. I. Nasser. This book follows a steady pace connecting an incident in the past to what is happening in the here and now. The author developed an interesting plot that captivates the reader. The pace of the book is perfect, never does the author rush the reader nor did I ever feel like the story was dragging out. There are some nice twists hidden in the story that slowly unravel, within the plot.
Alan is a very likable character and surrounded by a bit of a mystery. It seems in this book are more nefarious characters than good ones, but Alan makes more than up for that. There are a couple that are not fully revealed right away which side of the coin they are on which makes it interesting in my eyes.
The book ends with an open end that leads into the second book of the series. My curiosity is captured so I will have to get the next one to see where the author is leading us with this story.
Alan is a very likable character and surrounded by a bit of a mystery. It seems in this book are more nefarious characters than good ones, but Alan makes more than up for that. There are a couple that are not fully revealed right away which side of the coin they are on which makes it interesting in my eyes.
The book ends with an open end that leads into the second book of the series. My curiosity is captured so I will have to get the next one to see where the author is leading us with this story.
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