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The Warblers
After the sun would go down, I’d hear them out there, back by the shed, shrieking their twisted warbling cries out there in the night, followed by squeals of whatever prey they’d managed to hunt down.
When his rural farm becomes overrun with terrifying beasts called Warblers capable of eating livestock, dogs, and even people, 14-year-old Dell McDale’s life is torn asunder. He watches through the eyes of a boy on the verge of becoming a man as his father is forced to go to awful lengths to rid the family home of the infestation, culminating in a confrontation between Dell and a local bully-turned-soldier on a night that will change everyone involved, forever.
The Warblers is a mysterious tale of a young man learning what fear can do to people and what happens, when in order to fight monsters, one must side with another monster.
When his rural farm becomes overrun with terrifying beasts called Warblers capable of eating livestock, dogs, and even people, 14-year-old Dell McDale’s life is torn asunder. He watches through the eyes of a boy on the verge of becoming a man as his father is forced to go to awful lengths to rid the family home of the infestation, culminating in a confrontation between Dell and a local bully-turned-soldier on a night that will change everyone involved, forever.
The Warblers is a mysterious tale of a young man learning what fear can do to people and what happens, when in order to fight monsters, one must side with another monster.
73 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2017
2 people are currently reading
112 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
January 5, 2018
"There are some things what are meant to be left to the dark places."
Dell knew pa was scared....THE WARBLERS were bad news..mean as hell..ugly as sin and stunk to high heavens....so when he sent ma and his little sister away, he knew they were about to rid the farm of the "terrifying infestation" that had taken over the shed and brutally slaughtered his beloved dog Ginger. What he didn't know was what was on the way to render assistance.
Amber Fallon does a great job writing an enticing short story with a satisfying combination of characters and creepiness straight through to the horrific end! Look forward to reading more of her work.
(Once again, a Goodread's friend review caught my eye and lead me to this one. Thank you CHAR!)
January 2, 2018
THE WARBLERS is a well written novella high in the CREEPY category!
Young Dell is upset over the loss of his dog Ginger, and he feels guilty over the dog's death. If Dell hadn't let Ginger out at night, the warblers wouldn't have gotten her. Since the warblers have taken up residence in the back shed of the family farm, they are a constant threat to the family, especially to Dell's little sister. Something must be done about them and Dell's father makes the call. What are the warblers, exactly? Who is Dell's father calling? You'll have to read this quick novella to find out!
I've been meaning to read Amber's work for years now, and finally I've read one. Now I'm sorry I waited so long! The dark atmosphere here is almost palpable and that's exactly what I crave these days-more creep than gore. After carefully setting the scene though, we get our gore and a closer look at the things we've only glimpsed previously. They are well worth the wait!
Fun, fast and packing a late punch, I highly recommend this creative novella!
I bought this book with my hard earned money and if you want to buy it, you can do so here:
https://www.amazon.com/Warblers-Amber...
Young Dell is upset over the loss of his dog Ginger, and he feels guilty over the dog's death. If Dell hadn't let Ginger out at night, the warblers wouldn't have gotten her. Since the warblers have taken up residence in the back shed of the family farm, they are a constant threat to the family, especially to Dell's little sister. Something must be done about them and Dell's father makes the call. What are the warblers, exactly? Who is Dell's father calling? You'll have to read this quick novella to find out!
I've been meaning to read Amber's work for years now, and finally I've read one. Now I'm sorry I waited so long! The dark atmosphere here is almost palpable and that's exactly what I crave these days-more creep than gore. After carefully setting the scene though, we get our gore and a closer look at the things we've only glimpsed previously. They are well worth the wait!
Fun, fast and packing a late punch, I highly recommend this creative novella!
I bought this book with my hard earned money and if you want to buy it, you can do so here:
https://www.amazon.com/Warblers-Amber...
March 7, 2018
I’m not quite sure what happened here and it ended a wee abruptly, but I liked it.
Liked it a lot.
There are things that have taken up residence in the barn. They make weird noises at night and you shouldn’t get too close to them for fear of getting bit.
Or worse.
They are the pests of the most extreme variety. You can feel the hunger coming off them. And they smell.
Bad.
Time to call the exterminators. Time to call the Charcoal Cowboys.
They’ll take care of it.
That’s what they do.
A quick and well written, atmospheric, creature feature and an author that I am looking forward to reading more from. Nice!
Liked it a lot.
There are things that have taken up residence in the barn. They make weird noises at night and you shouldn’t get too close to them for fear of getting bit.
Or worse.
They are the pests of the most extreme variety. You can feel the hunger coming off them. And they smell.
Bad.
Time to call the exterminators. Time to call the Charcoal Cowboys.
They’ll take care of it.
That’s what they do.
A quick and well written, atmospheric, creature feature and an author that I am looking forward to reading more from. Nice!
October 1, 2017
In this lean novella by the author of THE TERMINAL, Amber Fallon deftly weaves an intriguing period piece, devoid of showing the exact time and place, but it isn't necessary as you're pulled immediately into the story told through the eyes of 14 year old Dell. His family struggles to make a living at their farm, and suddenly becomes beset by the warblers. You see, these mysterious and deadly nocturnal beasties have recently killed the young man's beloved dog and he wants them destroyed no matter the cost.
But sometimes such a cost can be very high. Reading like a funky mix of Faulkner, Steinbeck and Stephen King, Fallon could've fleshed this story out more, along with the rather abrupt ending, but I loved every page, riveted til the shocking, stunning climax.
Highly recommended!
But sometimes such a cost can be very high. Reading like a funky mix of Faulkner, Steinbeck and Stephen King, Fallon could've fleshed this story out more, along with the rather abrupt ending, but I loved every page, riveted til the shocking, stunning climax.
Highly recommended!
September 7, 2017
Atmospheric and dark, with a vivid climax that satisfied my fix for weird and original horror. Occasionally, I found the affected southern voice the story is told in a tad distracting, but it really does help in establishing the tone of the book, so that was more of a pet peeve than a misstep. Think like: how the characters talk in a Coen Bros. movie. And it’s a short novel, which I could see leaving certain readers wanting more, but for me, I thought it’s brevity was a boon. I hate books that overstay their welcome with unnecessary and (boring) details. This book has NONE of that. Every scene matters, as it builds steadily towards the end. All said, The Warblers didn’t disappoint.
September 30, 2017
Fallon is a talent that is firmly on my radar based on this story alone.
August 29, 2017
THE WARBLERS is a fine little amuse-bouche of a horror story. With its youthful protagonist and very low gore level compared to high creepiness level, I was reminded of a classic GOOSEBUMPS novel.
The story is told in the first person with a sort of vaguely rural Southern speech pattern, though I'm not sure the location is every explicitly identified. And with the way the townsfolk seem to accept the existence of monsters and magic, it may not be meant to be our country or even our universe after all. I suspect the story takes place in an alternate reality, or it may be meant to be an agrarian post-apocalypse...or if it is meant to be the real world, perhaps it takes place in a community so insular that we don't know about it.
In any case, the story is very short so I won't spoil any of the specifics here. Fallon very much relies on building atmosphere and ratcheting up the dread rather than gore or jump scares to bring the horror. I think this would be an appropriate read for a teen or young adult. I'm not sure there was even any swearing - Dell, the protagonist, was too much of a properly raised young gentleman for that, as I recall.
After the B-movie pulp style of her debut THE TERMINAL and now the atmospheric creepfest that is THE WARBLERS, Fallon has proven herself to be a versatile new voice in the horror field.
The story is told in the first person with a sort of vaguely rural Southern speech pattern, though I'm not sure the location is every explicitly identified. And with the way the townsfolk seem to accept the existence of monsters and magic, it may not be meant to be our country or even our universe after all. I suspect the story takes place in an alternate reality, or it may be meant to be an agrarian post-apocalypse...or if it is meant to be the real world, perhaps it takes place in a community so insular that we don't know about it.
In any case, the story is very short so I won't spoil any of the specifics here. Fallon very much relies on building atmosphere and ratcheting up the dread rather than gore or jump scares to bring the horror. I think this would be an appropriate read for a teen or young adult. I'm not sure there was even any swearing - Dell, the protagonist, was too much of a properly raised young gentleman for that, as I recall.
After the B-movie pulp style of her debut THE TERMINAL and now the atmospheric creepfest that is THE WARBLERS, Fallon has proven herself to be a versatile new voice in the horror field.
May 21, 2018
Creepy and fantastic
The entire time I was reading this, I kept thinking of Ray Bradbury. It’s actually been a couple decades since I read any Bradbury, but the story seemed to tickle the same spots in my brain that ol’ Ray did when I read his stories as a kid. It’s creepy and fantastic, with reveals doled out at just the right intervals. I don’t want to ruin anything by saying XXXXXX was not at all what I expected, but damn, I was very pleasantly surprised. I read this a couple months ago and the image is still firmly imprinted in my brain.
The entire time I was reading this, I kept thinking of Ray Bradbury. It’s actually been a couple decades since I read any Bradbury, but the story seemed to tickle the same spots in my brain that ol’ Ray did when I read his stories as a kid. It’s creepy and fantastic, with reveals doled out at just the right intervals. I don’t want to ruin anything by saying XXXXXX was not at all what I expected, but damn, I was very pleasantly surprised. I read this a couple months ago and the image is still firmly imprinted in my brain.
April 23, 2018
Different. Creepy and subtle. I wouldn't mind more clarity in the ending but a quick satisfying horror read.
July 27, 2017
Amber Fallon rocks. Her novella Terminal was a fantastic pulp alien action extravaganza. This time she serves up a creature story with a nice southern twang. Slightly more serious than her last book. It will hook you in and you will probably finish in one sitting.
Read
August 7, 2018This builds up to a powerful ending. In the fashion of classic monster tales, we learn about the myth surrounding monsters with a healthy payoff at the end.
The narrative voice was unique and consistent throughout.
It was a quick, enjoyable read.
The narrative voice was unique and consistent throughout.
It was a quick, enjoyable read.
February 7, 2018
Crazy Good
I had a blast reading The Warblers by Amber Fallon. I loved the portrayal of the main character, the first-person prose a dialect reminiscent of Stienbeck. Fallon is also a master of building suspense and soaking it in dread.
If all her stories are this good, I might have found a new favorite. Highly recommended.
I had a blast reading The Warblers by Amber Fallon. I loved the portrayal of the main character, the first-person prose a dialect reminiscent of Stienbeck. Fallon is also a master of building suspense and soaking it in dread.
If all her stories are this good, I might have found a new favorite. Highly recommended.
November 22, 2017
My favourite part of this book was the atmosphere, a slow brooding tension in the background, hints behind words at something terrible hiding in the shadows. Most of the characters were immediately engaging and quite wholesome, which made a nice change to a lot of other horror books where characters a broken people with murky morality. The story was clear and precisely written making it easy to get into, which is something that is needed in shorter fiction and appreciated here. I read this in one sitting and really enjoyed it especially the ending which was very satisfying - brilliant stuff!
September 20, 2019
A teenage boy's rural farm outside Montgomery, Alabama is besieged by mysterious, aggressive bird-like creatures called Warblers that are big enough to kill a dog or a small child. His father chooses--against the townspeople's advice--to take drastic steps to get rid of the infestation, but the family's deliverance may come at a heavy price.
This horror novella from small-press author Amber Fallon works well for two reasons. First, the narrator's voice and historical setting (sometime either right before or after World War II) lends the tale an air of authenticity. Second, the conflict between human characters always overshadows the supernatural creatures.
I listened to the audiobook read by Chet Williamson, who did a terrific job sustaining the suspense and mystery in what is essentially a slow-burn suspense tale.
The story does not answer all the plot questions it raises. For example, we never know why the father makes some of his decisions rather than pursue less dangerous courses of action. However, the story does deliver quite an emotional double-punch at the end that makes it memorable.
This is an up-and-coming author to keep an eye on.
This horror novella from small-press author Amber Fallon works well for two reasons. First, the narrator's voice and historical setting (sometime either right before or after World War II) lends the tale an air of authenticity. Second, the conflict between human characters always overshadows the supernatural creatures.
I listened to the audiobook read by Chet Williamson, who did a terrific job sustaining the suspense and mystery in what is essentially a slow-burn suspense tale.
The story does not answer all the plot questions it raises. For example, we never know why the father makes some of his decisions rather than pursue less dangerous courses of action. However, the story does deliver quite an emotional double-punch at the end that makes it memorable.
This is an up-and-coming author to keep an eye on.
January 7, 2018
Wow, Amber Fallon is rad! By that, I mean that she is a really, really, super for real really great writer. And by that, I mean that she is totally Excellent!!
The writing in this little book kind of reminds me of reading John Steinbeck in high school lit class, only this isn't boring. Although I'd hoped for more gore, I enjoyed the emotional element that courses throughout The Warblers, as well as the theme of familial relationships. It seems to be set in some weird, alternate Appalachia universe where strange creatures camping out on a person's farm are just a fact of life that you have to deal with. I really liked all the characters, and the story overall, but I mostly enjoyed the atmosphere and the internal musings of the main character. If I were a high school English teacher I'd get the kids to read this, then they could read something awesome and not be bored to tears. Long live the Warblers!
The writing in this little book kind of reminds me of reading John Steinbeck in high school lit class, only this isn't boring. Although I'd hoped for more gore, I enjoyed the emotional element that courses throughout The Warblers, as well as the theme of familial relationships. It seems to be set in some weird, alternate Appalachia universe where strange creatures camping out on a person's farm are just a fact of life that you have to deal with. I really liked all the characters, and the story overall, but I mostly enjoyed the atmosphere and the internal musings of the main character. If I were a high school English teacher I'd get the kids to read this, then they could read something awesome and not be bored to tears. Long live the Warblers!
May 22, 2019
I once wrote a piece for LitReactor about up-and-coming female authors. Amber Fallon was on that list, mainly because of her novel The Terminal, which is a fun, fast, gory read. However, with the release of The Warblers by weird fiction and bizarro powerhouse Eraserhead Press, Fallon has pulled herself out of that list; she has arrived, and this novella will put her on radars that had missed her work so far.
You can read Gabino's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
You can read Gabino's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
April 29, 2018
An entertaining, satisfying story
The first story I ever read in as The Legend of Sleepy Hallow so I have always had a soft spot for rural horror stories . The Warblers hits all the right spots for an entertaining story.
Fast paced, the story of a country family dealing with a monstrous pest is vivid and entertaining.
Read Amber Fallon, you won’t regret it. Recommend.
The first story I ever read in as The Legend of Sleepy Hallow so I have always had a soft spot for rural horror stories . The Warblers hits all the right spots for an entertaining story.
Fast paced, the story of a country family dealing with a monstrous pest is vivid and entertaining.
Read Amber Fallon, you won’t regret it. Recommend.
Read
December 13, 2019Amber Fallon's work is impressive. You are immersed in this battle between good and evil, from beginning to end. You ride along with this family, as part of it, from the peaceful times and into wartime. The ending is great. The text in this title is gigantic and the spacing makes it seem like its more of an undertaking. You can finish the title in one setting easily. Great work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2017
Short and to the point and still a satisfying read. I've known of Amber Fallon for a couple of years but haven't read any of her stories. This is my first. Excellent writing, 'old timey' feel, which I like a lot, strange creatures, unique first person voice.... Go check it out!
October 28, 2017
Life on the farm
I recommend this book to anyone who likes coming of age stories and monsters. Such realism before, during, and after the stuff hits the fan.
This one is a blast. Indulge yourself with The Warblers.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes coming of age stories and monsters. Such realism before, during, and after the stuff hits the fan.
This one is a blast. Indulge yourself with The Warblers.
July 10, 2018
Really a surprise
After a bit of a slow start, this book picked up its pace and never slowed down. I found myself reading faster so I could see what happened. Be glad you've never heard strange calls from your shed on a hot summer night
Recommended for all.
After a bit of a slow start, this book picked up its pace and never slowed down. I found myself reading faster so I could see what happened. Be glad you've never heard strange calls from your shed on a hot summer night
Recommended for all.
October 22, 2017
Great atmosphere building of a world skewed to our own, rising dread, and suspense. The story never went where I was expecting. Very enjoyable novella for a quick read.
December 30, 2017
Terrific story. Amber Fallon is a writer to watch in the future.
January 24, 2018
Quiet and Atmospheric Bizarro Horror, with a healthy helping of Coming of Age and a side of Rural Gothic for good measure. Would make for an excellent short film.
April 11, 2021
Loved this book. Like a lost Joe Lansdale book.
September 27, 2022
A good insight into child psychology...story wise, underwhelming. Might work as a film though.
January 16, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. Packed with atmosphere and heart, Amber Fallon's The Warblers is an absolute treat. It's a short read, but incredibly rich and rewarding. The narrative voice is strong and engaging. It's well paced and has a good grizzly ending. A must read for 2018!
October 18, 2017
I enjoyed this book allot, it ratchets up to the climax step by step. You are given bits of information on the world and these nasty things called Warblers. The reader is drawn in as a participant using your imagination as the story pulses to the visceral end.
Great work, this rings of my favorite like Joe R. Lansdale
Looking forward to read your other work.
Great work, this rings of my favorite like Joe R. Lansdale
Looking forward to read your other work.
September 22, 2017
A solid quick monster story with some southern gothic prose. The monsters are very creative and original and a lot of what is not said about them is what makes them scary. I read it in two brief sittings as it clocks in at slightly over 70 short pages. Fallon does a good job of covering a complete story in that short period of time, including a good ending.
I picked this up because I wanted to read something short, fun, and bloody. The Warblers definitely fit the bill. I don’t read a ton of bizarro, but when I do, I will often reach for Eraserhead press. If you are particularly a fan of bizarro that is heavy on the horror then you will enjoy The Warblers. I will be on the lookout for Fallon’s future work.
I picked this up because I wanted to read something short, fun, and bloody. The Warblers definitely fit the bill. I don’t read a ton of bizarro, but when I do, I will often reach for Eraserhead press. If you are particularly a fan of bizarro that is heavy on the horror then you will enjoy The Warblers. I will be on the lookout for Fallon’s future work.
January 30, 2018
I think it was the Lansdale blurb I saw that reeled me in. I figured if Joe liked it, I’d like it too. And I was right. See full review at Cemetery Dance online here: http://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/r...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews