Kraulaak: A Lovecraftian Horror Story

Frozen Wasteland

by S.R. Marks

People go there to borrow books. Some don’t return…
Jessica Martin has a nose for news. She may be a small-town girl who never left home, but the eager reporter has a popular blog that keeps her tiny New England village informed. So when their longtime librarian vanishes without a trace, the erstwhile journalist is determined to uncover the truth… especially with everyone whispering about sinister secrets.

Discovering every person who’s ever worked there was never heard from again, Jessica puts out a call for help to her readers to share their stories of the dark facility. But when one of her sources also disappears, the guilt-ridden scribe realizes the only way to crack her community’s conspiracy of silence is to venture into the haunted halls herself.

Will Jessica find answers at the reference desk, or is she doomed to be lost in the stacks for all time?

Kraulaak is a set of eight interconnected stories and the spine-chilling first book in the Frozen Wasteland horror series. If you like ominous settings, intensely scary scenes, and shocking twists, then you’ll love S.R. Marks’ menacing tale.

Buy Kraulaak to check out pure evil today!

Genres: Horror, Short Stories

71 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 8, 2018

About the author

S.R. Marks is the pen name author Sara Marks uses for her horror and fantasy books. Sara is a librarian with two masters degrees and plans to never stop getting over educated. She likes the idea of having all the academic regalia she can ever possess. She cries at nearly every movie she sees (ask her about when she cried at a horror movie), but it’s full-on weeping for Disney animated movies. She loves reading nearly every genre but likes to write romance and fantasy books. Writing horror keeps her perspective of the world more balanced and allows her to write all her hopefully romances without getting angry.

Reviews

[Monica M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story! I was really intrigued! However this book is in desperate need of an editor. The common spelling and grammar mistakes really took me out of it. As well, the beginning chapter had really awkward wording that almost made this a dnf right off the bat.

[Keri Barber · Rating 3 out of 5]

The short Novella itself had an interesting plot. Reminiscent of Lovecraft. However, it is so hard for me to read a story and really enjoy it when it has so many editorial errors. I don't enjoy having to reread the same sentence multiple times trying to decipher exactly what was trying to be said.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The premise of this little horror novella is delightful. The librarians in an extension branch in a small New England town don’t seem to last more than a few months on the job. Turnover is immense, but when anyone inquires about this, the information provided from the city is that each librarian (usually a graduate student) has taken a fantastic position elsewhere. The truth, however, is much darker. Taking the idea of work is hell and making it literal, Marks pens a multi-perspective tale that is an entertaining read.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A small town has a library with a small branch library. The branch is always way too cold, because it has a portal to Hell, which is actually a frozen wasteland

[Lauren Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kraulaak: Frozen Wasteland by S.R. Marks is an eerie, gripping horror novel that lingers in your mind long after you turn the final page. With its interconnected stories and chilling atmosphere, this book is a must-read for fans of unsettling, slow-burning terror.

Jessica Martin is a fantastic protagonist—curious, determined, and increasingly desperate as she unravels the dark history of the town’s library. The mystery surrounding the vanished librarians is haunting, and the deeper Jessica digs, the more the tension builds. The novel masterfully weaves folklore, conspiracy, and supernatural horror into a story that feels both intimate and expansive.

The setting itself is a character—cold, isolating, and riddled with secrets. The way Marks describes the eerie silence of the library and the unnatural shadows lurking between the shelves made my skin crawl. There were moments when I genuinely had to pause and take a breath before reading on.

The eight interconnected stories add layers to the horror, giving glimpses into the sinister force that seems to claim everyone who dares to work there. Each story brings new revelations and terrifying moments, making the book impossible to put down.

If you love horror with a strong mystery element, an oppressive atmosphere, and genuinely terrifying moments, Kraulaak: Frozen Wasteland is a must-read. I can’t wait to see where the Frozen Wasteland series goes next!

[Alan Loewen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intriguing Story, Yet …

It's challenging to write a review without giving away spoilers, but here’s a brief summary: There is a library in a small college town that has a mysterious history of employees disappearing without a trace. The town council and the head librarian assure the public that these employees have been hired by other libraries, but none of the former staff members can ever be found.

Overall, it was an interesting and entertaining story; however, I had some issues with the delivery. First-person narration is always tricky. How is this narrator speaking to the reader when they are dead or, even worse?

[pae ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 .ᐟ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it. I do think that it was a little boring though. the characters didn’t seem to really feel anything, it didn’t seem like they were scared or confused. I wish there was more detail on how the characters had felt and what they were thinking. Also it was sort of hard to understand certain parts of the story, maybe because of how it was worded or the grammatical errors. I do think it was an interesting story though!

[Laurin · Rating 3 out of 5]

No offense to the author at all, but this was just "ok". I think it could have done better at being "lovecraftian" by explaining less. There was too much explanation and not enough creeping dread. Also, and this is just a pet peeve, in the last chapter the word palate was misspelled twice (the only two times it was used) and it just irked me!

[Crystal Pegasus · Rating 5 out of 5]

an interesting read

With shifting viewpoints and timelines this book is an interesting, if confusing read. I had some trouble separating the characters. But the story was fresh and well written, the premise unique and fun. It’s worth the read.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun spooky read happening in a small town library.
I only wish a few extra pages were used to elaborate on the mental process of the characters when confronted with the supernatural. They seemed to accept it a bit too easily.

[Natasa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was awesome

[April · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 13%

[Jessika · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting idea but so poorly written I had no idea what was going on half the time

[Chris Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an interesting collection of short stories that all focus on the strange things happening at the local branch library. Inside it’s always freezing cold inside even during the hottest summer months. Add to that the large turnover in staff and something feels very wrong. Could there be sinister forces at work here? If so, who in town knows what’s happening and why are they covering it up? Sara Marks writes with an easy flowing style that allows the story to flow and never get bogged down. There’s an abundance of different characters that all feel very ‘real’ and that’s before they’re thrown into this wonderful mix of stories. At the core is an interesting idea that’s as original as it is entertaining.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed these short stories especially how they sort of left you wondering…..and when are the Kraulaak’s going to come get you? Fun read!