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Blue November Storms
It's been twenty years since the five friends known as the Lightning Five visited their hunting cabin together.Twenty years spent living in the shadow of something they did in high school, an event that forever defined them in the minds of everyone in their small town.
Now they're returning to the cabin to reminisce about old times and forget their troubles, but mother nature has other plans in mind. Before too long supplies will be running low and the Lightning Five will have to make some hard choices... like who gets to live and who has to die.
Now they're returning to the cabin to reminisce about old times and forget their troubles, but mother nature has other plans in mind. Before too long supplies will be running low and the Lightning Five will have to make some hard choices... like who gets to live and who has to die.
63 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2004
12 people are currently reading
126 people want to read
About the author
Brian James Freeman
100 books149 followersBrian James Freeman sold his first short story when he was fourteen years old and now writes full-time thanks to the support of his patrons on Patreon. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife, three kids, a German Shorthaired Pointer, and an English Pointer. More books are on the way.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
May 4, 2014
4.5 stars!
5 friends meet up to visit the cabin in the woods they built together when they were teenagers. This brings me to the fantastic introduction to this book, written by Ray Garton. Like he says, any horror fan knows you just don't go to cabins in the woods. Quote:
"If you're a horror fan, you know what's out there. There are families of inbred cannibals, practitioners of unspeakable religious rites, extraterrestrials possibly disoriented by a rough touchdown, drug-crazed psycho-killers and Bigfoot to name only a few things."
Despite all the facts that Mr. Garton laid out in his intro., the guys meet up and are very excited to be together again and they're psyched that there is also a meteor shower predicted for this very night. Unfortunately, this wasn't the usual sky art. These meteors are illuminated by a strange blue light and they continue coming down to strike the earth. What happens after that came as a surprise to me and I thought it was awesome.
I need to briefly mention the very cool illustrations throughout this novella. Sketched by Glenn Chadbourne, they added a lot to the story. His work is phenomenal.
This was a quick novella (only about 100 pages), that I read within an hour. I thought it was imaginative, creative and fast paced. I didn't think a story with this particular premise could work for me, but I was wrong, this one did. Recommended to fans of tales of this type, and fans of horror in general.
5 friends meet up to visit the cabin in the woods they built together when they were teenagers. This brings me to the fantastic introduction to this book, written by Ray Garton. Like he says, any horror fan knows you just don't go to cabins in the woods. Quote:
"If you're a horror fan, you know what's out there. There are families of inbred cannibals, practitioners of unspeakable religious rites, extraterrestrials possibly disoriented by a rough touchdown, drug-crazed psycho-killers and Bigfoot to name only a few things."
Despite all the facts that Mr. Garton laid out in his intro., the guys meet up and are very excited to be together again and they're psyched that there is also a meteor shower predicted for this very night. Unfortunately, this wasn't the usual sky art. These meteors are illuminated by a strange blue light and they continue coming down to strike the earth. What happens after that came as a surprise to me and I thought it was awesome.
I need to briefly mention the very cool illustrations throughout this novella. Sketched by Glenn Chadbourne, they added a lot to the story. His work is phenomenal.
This was a quick novella (only about 100 pages), that I read within an hour. I thought it was imaginative, creative and fast paced. I didn't think a story with this particular premise could work for me, but I was wrong, this one did. Recommended to fans of tales of this type, and fans of horror in general.
April 13, 2014
First of all, I really enjoyed the intro by Ray Garton! That aside, this novella completely took me by surprise--in a very good way! I was "expecting" a certain type of story, and what Brian James Freeman gave us was something else entirely. The entire story was so unexpected, that I couldn't tear myself away until I had finished the whole novella. To say anything more would spoil the story for others..... All I can add to this is that I loved the concept and execution of this tale.
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
April 20, 2013
Cemetery Dance has been putting out quality horror for years and this book is no exception. There is just so much to love here.
This is my second book by Freeman. I have read "The Painted Darkness" which I consider to be a very good example of "literary" horror yet with the added emotional impact so often missing in literary horror novels. Freeman not only writes beautiful prose, about subjects as deep as the dark source of artistic inspiration, but his stories pack an emotional punch as well.
Blue November Storms is a more straight-forward, plot driven tale than The Painted Darkness but I enjoyed it for what it was. And what it was is a well written story with well drawn characters and more than one plot twist that I did not see coming.
That in itself would make this a solid 4 star effort; but this volume contains much more than that. The illustrations of Glenn Chadbourne grace this novella at the end of every chapter and add another level of enjoyment. I read this on a high resolution tab and the illustrations were beautiful. I can only imagine how good they look in one of Cemetery Dance's high quality print editions. Seriously, the artwork is so good it is like another story unto itself. Chadbourne's illustrations are so dense and interesting that I found myself spending a good deal of time at the end of every chapter exploring the illustrations, searching for the hidden pictures within the pictures. Anyone familiar with Cemetery Dance editions is familiar with Chadbourne's great work and it is on full display here. And it gets better because we not only have the artwork but an interview with Chadbourne that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Finally, anyone who has been reading horror at all is familiar with Ray Garton, who in his introduction provides both an interesting topical discussion of the elements of horror as well as hilarious memories of his negative experiences while camping as a child.
This book was fun to read, and the stellar artwork and other extras just made it that much better.
This is my second book by Freeman. I have read "The Painted Darkness" which I consider to be a very good example of "literary" horror yet with the added emotional impact so often missing in literary horror novels. Freeman not only writes beautiful prose, about subjects as deep as the dark source of artistic inspiration, but his stories pack an emotional punch as well.
Blue November Storms is a more straight-forward, plot driven tale than The Painted Darkness but I enjoyed it for what it was. And what it was is a well written story with well drawn characters and more than one plot twist that I did not see coming.
That in itself would make this a solid 4 star effort; but this volume contains much more than that. The illustrations of Glenn Chadbourne grace this novella at the end of every chapter and add another level of enjoyment. I read this on a high resolution tab and the illustrations were beautiful. I can only imagine how good they look in one of Cemetery Dance's high quality print editions. Seriously, the artwork is so good it is like another story unto itself. Chadbourne's illustrations are so dense and interesting that I found myself spending a good deal of time at the end of every chapter exploring the illustrations, searching for the hidden pictures within the pictures. Anyone familiar with Cemetery Dance editions is familiar with Chadbourne's great work and it is on full display here. And it gets better because we not only have the artwork but an interview with Chadbourne that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Finally, anyone who has been reading horror at all is familiar with Ray Garton, who in his introduction provides both an interesting topical discussion of the elements of horror as well as hilarious memories of his negative experiences while camping as a child.
This book was fun to read, and the stellar artwork and other extras just made it that much better.
April 22, 2013
What makes this short book an excellent read is the fantastic illustrations by Glenn Chadbourne " an extremely talented artist that has become very popular in the small press" It is difficult to imagine how this can work successfully on a kindle ereader but the black and white art work is perfection and it is almost true to say that the writing is secondary to the illustrations...Just look at the image preceding chapter one and the atmosphere and spookiness simply bleeds from the illustration of the cabin atop the hill and the four friends on the roof.....ah I hear you say a lonely cabin in the woods surrounded by those dark forests, and all hell about to break loose! In essence the story is about a friends reunion and the horror that unfolds richly described and illustrated, a short story but one that will stay long in the mind with the help of many excellent and highly detailed pictures. However I would point out one rather obvious mistake that I encountered...do read on....
"Joe fell limp and the bear bit into his throat, lifting him and quickly carrying him into the woods as bullets rained down from the cabin roof. The men on top of the cabin stopped shooting, but they still stared in disbelief, their rifles aimed at the bloody spot where the bear had killed Joe, unable to think or speak or even understand what had just happened"....followed a little later by..." She jumped onto the storage bin, reaching for Steve, who grabbed her hands and pulled her toward the roof with all his might. She scrambled over him, throwing herself at the peak. Steve got to his knees, raised his rifle and took aim into the clearing while Matt and Joe continued shooting above him"....have you spotted it yet?? Joe had been killed by the bear, but he appears a little later...when he was dead! I think the author meant Adam and not Joe...or am I mistaken? If I am correct then why can this simple mistake not be rectified before publication? A small point but one that made me award four stars rather than five, but do read as a download for the kindle it is excellent fun and shows the power of black and white illustrations in the story telling process.
"Joe fell limp and the bear bit into his throat, lifting him and quickly carrying him into the woods as bullets rained down from the cabin roof. The men on top of the cabin stopped shooting, but they still stared in disbelief, their rifles aimed at the bloody spot where the bear had killed Joe, unable to think or speak or even understand what had just happened"....followed a little later by..." She jumped onto the storage bin, reaching for Steve, who grabbed her hands and pulled her toward the roof with all his might. She scrambled over him, throwing herself at the peak. Steve got to his knees, raised his rifle and took aim into the clearing while Matt and Joe continued shooting above him"....have you spotted it yet?? Joe had been killed by the bear, but he appears a little later...when he was dead! I think the author meant Adam and not Joe...or am I mistaken? If I am correct then why can this simple mistake not be rectified before publication? A small point but one that made me award four stars rather than five, but do read as a download for the kindle it is excellent fun and shows the power of black and white illustrations in the story telling process.
April 20, 2013
Quite enjoyable little piece of fiction. The idea is not new, but the author handles it very well.
Five friends known as "The Lightning Five" from their high school football days and cemented by an incident twenty years ago that made them heroes meet in the cabin they had built in the woods. One of them had gone missing a few months after the incident and hadn't been heard from since. The others presumed him dead.
And he suddenly comes back into town and wants a meeting.
It also happens to be the night of an expected meteor shower they want to enjoy.
The night degenerates into a fight for survival as a meteorite crashes to Earth near them, glowing blue, and suddenly all the forest animals from the small, rabbits and squirrels, to the big, a pair of bears, have blue eyes and are savagely attacking them.
A nice bit of horror that invokes all sorts of interior images wonderfully illustrated by artist Glenn Chadbourne and the cover by Vincent Chong.
It's the ebook release of Cemetery Dance's long out of print novella.
Five friends known as "The Lightning Five" from their high school football days and cemented by an incident twenty years ago that made them heroes meet in the cabin they had built in the woods. One of them had gone missing a few months after the incident and hadn't been heard from since. The others presumed him dead.
And he suddenly comes back into town and wants a meeting.
It also happens to be the night of an expected meteor shower they want to enjoy.
The night degenerates into a fight for survival as a meteorite crashes to Earth near them, glowing blue, and suddenly all the forest animals from the small, rabbits and squirrels, to the big, a pair of bears, have blue eyes and are savagely attacking them.
A nice bit of horror that invokes all sorts of interior images wonderfully illustrated by artist Glenn Chadbourne and the cover by Vincent Chong.
It's the ebook release of Cemetery Dance's long out of print novella.
August 2, 2019
Just great - packs a punch, really gets going in a short ways in. In any case, hope to write a full review shortly !
May 6, 2013
Blue November Storms is one of Brian James Freeman's earliest works of longer fiction and there's a lot to like here.
The story starts innocently enough with a group of five high school buddy's reunited for the first time in twenty years. The "Lightning Five" is what they were know on the football field and the name stayed with them beyond the gridiron.
Four of the five still make their home in Beacon Point. There's Sheriff Stephen F. Powell, Harry Howison who owns his own plumbing business, and Matt Harris and Joe Esposito hold down the fort at The Pizza Palace.
The fifth member of their group, and the one that's been gone since their High School days, is Adam Ellis. Adam calls Sheriff Powell and requests he get the gang together that night at the cabin in the woods. There's also supposed to be a significant meteor shower that night, so it was relatively easy to get everyone out there on short notice.
As a reader, I was ready for the big bombshell regarding why Adam had disappeared all those years ago, but that's where the story takes a turn, a big turn, and none of their lives will ever be the same, that is if they make it through the night.
I love reading a Brian James Freeman book. I just know it's going to take me places. It's no longer me an a book, instead, I'm right there, in the pages, watching the story unfold around me.
In addition to a great read, Blue November Storms, comes with a number of illustrations from the very talented Glenn Chadbourne.
Recommended for adult readers, Blue November Storms, is available now in a variety of formats.
The story starts innocently enough with a group of five high school buddy's reunited for the first time in twenty years. The "Lightning Five" is what they were know on the football field and the name stayed with them beyond the gridiron.
Four of the five still make their home in Beacon Point. There's Sheriff Stephen F. Powell, Harry Howison who owns his own plumbing business, and Matt Harris and Joe Esposito hold down the fort at The Pizza Palace.
The fifth member of their group, and the one that's been gone since their High School days, is Adam Ellis. Adam calls Sheriff Powell and requests he get the gang together that night at the cabin in the woods. There's also supposed to be a significant meteor shower that night, so it was relatively easy to get everyone out there on short notice.
As a reader, I was ready for the big bombshell regarding why Adam had disappeared all those years ago, but that's where the story takes a turn, a big turn, and none of their lives will ever be the same, that is if they make it through the night.
I love reading a Brian James Freeman book. I just know it's going to take me places. It's no longer me an a book, instead, I'm right there, in the pages, watching the story unfold around me.
In addition to a great read, Blue November Storms, comes with a number of illustrations from the very talented Glenn Chadbourne.
Recommended for adult readers, Blue November Storms, is available now in a variety of formats.
November 29, 2014
Five friends are known as The lighting Five from their high school football days. The nickname sticks when the five rescue some children from a burning fire twenty years ago. There is more to that story that meets the eye. Six months after the rescue, Adam mysteriously disappears without a trace. One day out of the blue, Steve receive a call from his long lost friend. Adam wants the five to reunite for a weekend of hunting and fishing. They were to meet at the summer cabin that they had built twenty years ago. Adam promises to answer all the questions about his strange disappearance. Little did they know that this would be the last time the five would be together. A meteor shower was forecasted for that night. The meteor shower changed the behavior of the animals in the forest. It is not long before man is pitted against the beast. Brian is an excellent writer and storyteller. When Brian is not writing, he is the Managing Editor at Cemetery Dance magazine. There are also some excellent illustrations by Glenn Chadbourne in this novella. I would highly recommend this book.
December 26, 2023
I picked this up during Cemetery Dance's 4th of July sale for 44% off. I thought it looked interesting, and I've enjoyed his other works that I've read. And who among us can resist such a sale!
The story wasn't at all what I envisioned - in a good way. Five friends reunite for the first time in 20 years at a cabin they'd built when they were 18. But then things go wrong in a very unique way. This is by no means your typical "stupid people going out into the woods to find peace but instead find destruction" story. It's a novella and relatively short, but well worth the time.
And don't skip over Ray Garton's introduction. He's hilarious, and I share his sentiments about camping and the woods!
The story wasn't at all what I envisioned - in a good way. Five friends reunite for the first time in 20 years at a cabin they'd built when they were 18. But then things go wrong in a very unique way. This is by no means your typical "stupid people going out into the woods to find peace but instead find destruction" story. It's a novella and relatively short, but well worth the time.
And don't skip over Ray Garton's introduction. He's hilarious, and I share his sentiments about camping and the woods!
April 20, 2013
Blue November Storms is a fun novella about a group of friends gathering at a mountain cabin to get together with a lost member of the “Lightning Five” that disappeared 20 years previously. Yeah, we’ve heard that one before- not exactly – Brian James Freeman throws one or two curveballs at you and that is when the story really takes off running. Blue lights in the sky wreak havoc on the wildlife and the Lightning Five need to find a way to survive against incredible odds.
Solid storytelling and some really excellent illustrations by Glenn Chadbourne add to the dark atmosphere of this story. A recommended short read.
Solid storytelling and some really excellent illustrations by Glenn Chadbourne add to the dark atmosphere of this story. A recommended short read.
January 3, 2020
Wow. Not at all what I expected. 3.5 stars but upped to 4 for the EXCELLENT narration.
Oh, and stay out of woods during a meteor shower. No need to tell me twice
Oh, and stay out of woods during a meteor shower. No need to tell me twice
August 18, 2021
I grabbed this off of Amazon for a little over $3, knowing very little about it. It’s a short novella, and I read it within a few hours. I was just “eh” about it; it honestly just wasn’t for me. To be fair, I can’t recall ever feeling satisfied with any short stories that I’ve read; they all seem to just brush the surface, with no real beginning or solid ending. This was no different. I did somewhat enjoy it until the crazy animals started appearing, but then it became too unrealistic…. and I never like reading about animals getting killed. On the plus side, Ray Garton wrote a nice intro to the book, and the illustrations were a cool element added to each chapter.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2020
4 Stars. Audio.
May 16, 2013
Well, Brian James Freeman come through again. Having first read The Painted Darkness (which was also a very good read!), this was my next novel by him.
I will also mention, I was fortunate enough to be supplied with this by the author for review.
This is a very short novel. There are some fantastic illustrations by Glenn Chadbourne that help tell the story, and put the reader into the scene of events. This will not take you long to read, and it flows very fast. The chapters are well written, fast paced, and short. To me, short chapters that tell the story, and keep it flowing help make for an exciting read.
The story is about 5 friends (The Lightning Five), who re-unite after many years (one friend was not heard from for years). They decide to go to their cabin they built many years ago. This was also the scene of a tragic event that branded them as heros, however....one friend thinks otherwise. The main focus of their excursion to the cabin is a once in a lifetime meteor shower.
Will the shower perform as predicted? How will the re-united group deal with their past?
Read it and find out!!!!
I will also mention, I was fortunate enough to be supplied with this by the author for review.
This is a very short novel. There are some fantastic illustrations by Glenn Chadbourne that help tell the story, and put the reader into the scene of events. This will not take you long to read, and it flows very fast. The chapters are well written, fast paced, and short. To me, short chapters that tell the story, and keep it flowing help make for an exciting read.
The story is about 5 friends (The Lightning Five), who re-unite after many years (one friend was not heard from for years). They decide to go to their cabin they built many years ago. This was also the scene of a tragic event that branded them as heros, however....one friend thinks otherwise. The main focus of their excursion to the cabin is a once in a lifetime meteor shower.
Will the shower perform as predicted? How will the re-united group deal with their past?
Read it and find out!!!!
March 25, 2014
This is a great fast moving short story, that I wished had been longer. I was really interested in the characters and their backstory. If you are someone who really enjoys a quick paced short then I would recommend it for you. Brian James Freeman is a great story teller and if you are looking something longer to read than you should check out his book The Painted Darkness.
January 27, 2014
This was really good! Definitely not your average apocalyptic scenario. The writing is very punchy and fast paced, much like Dean Koontz' writing these last ten years or so (in terms of style, not content).
If you want a quick read that you'll thoroughly enjoy, I highly recommend picking up this book.
If you want a quick read that you'll thoroughly enjoy, I highly recommend picking up this book.
June 20, 2020
It's amazing sometimes how much difference a well-written book can make to one's desire to read. Of the last ten books or so that I read one of them was great, two were good, one I'm still not sure how to rank it and the others were mediocre at best. They haven't really sparked a huge interest in me to pick up the next book. By comparison, within the first few pages I was pulled into BLUE NOVEMBER STORMS and enjoying it.
Five friends who were best of friends during high school have a secret that they have been keeping for years. A secret so powerful that one of the friends had to leave town to accept it and move on with his life. Now it is years later and the friend is returning to town to get closure in his life. What should be an emotional reunion instead becomes a fight for survival.
As I mentioned at the start, I immediately enjoyed reading this book. Not that I was pulled immediately into the story but I instantly had that comfortable feeling that emanates from a good book. That feeling of enjoyment and knowledge that this was going to be a good book. The secret that was being kept was not as big of a surprise as I expected but it didn't matter. By the time I found out, we were deep into the story and it didn't matter. About the only thing I wish was different was the names of the five main characters: Steve, Adam, Harry, Joe, and Matt. Reading this while the George Floyd protests are still fresh, the names comes across very much as white-bread . Granted with my name being Mike, I'm not one to talk but still. Give me something to help differentiate the characters a little bit. Other than that, I was very happy to read this story.
Five friends who were best of friends during high school have a secret that they have been keeping for years. A secret so powerful that one of the friends had to leave town to accept it and move on with his life. Now it is years later and the friend is returning to town to get closure in his life. What should be an emotional reunion instead becomes a fight for survival.
As I mentioned at the start, I immediately enjoyed reading this book. Not that I was pulled immediately into the story but I instantly had that comfortable feeling that emanates from a good book. That feeling of enjoyment and knowledge that this was going to be a good book. The secret that was being kept was not as big of a surprise as I expected but it didn't matter. By the time I found out, we were deep into the story and it didn't matter. About the only thing I wish was different was the names of the five main characters: Steve, Adam, Harry, Joe, and Matt. Reading this while the George Floyd protests are still fresh, the names comes across very much as white-bread . Granted with my name being Mike, I'm not one to talk but still. Give me something to help differentiate the characters a little bit. Other than that, I was very happy to read this story.
January 30, 2020
Review coming soon... Loved this book & able to read in one sitting. Illustrations were amazing and added so MUCH to the overall experience. Can't wait to share more...
Update: If you are looking for a book that will cause you to think twice about spending time up at a cabin in the woods, then this surely is it. BLUE NOVEMBER STORMS is an excellent tale of what goes wrong on an innocent get-together amongst friends.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Synopsis:
It's been twenty years since the friends known as the Lightning Five visited the Summer Place together. Twenty years spent living in the shadow of something they did in high school, an event that defined them forever in the minds of everyone in their small town. Now they're returning for what should be a relaxing weekend of hunting and fishing, a chance to reminisce about old times and forget their troubles... but mother nature has other plans in mind.
There's a storm brewing. A meteor shower is in the forecast, but it's going to be unlike any event in recorded history. This meteor shower is bringing change to the world, it's awakening the creatures of the forest from their quiet slumber... and before long, the Lightning Five are going to find themselves trapped on the roof of their cabin, with their numbers dwindling and supplies running low...
Trapped with no means of escape, the men will have to make some hard choices... like who gets to live and who has to die.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spending a weekend with old friends in a cabin sounds like a blast. It should be a blast- drinking, telling of stories, just remembering old times. Even more special than having friends like that 20 years later, is the meteor shower that is going to be a spectacular event.
The author is able to bring these characters to life quickly, and easily allows the reader to become emotionally connected to each one. As the night wears on, the meteor shower starts, things begin to tragically turn into a wildlife nightmare.
The experiences these character had to endure were brought to life with amazing detail. You could see the events unfolding before your eyes (there were also exquisite illustrations by Glen Chadbourne that made the whole experience better). You fear the decisions that end up being made and you mourn the outcome of the descruction that the meteor shower brought.
BLUE NOVEMBER STORMS was a unique read full of detail, fright, and exceptional illustrations. I enjoyed every page of this book. I am excited to continue to seek out more from this author and hope to find more artwork from the illustator.
Update: If you are looking for a book that will cause you to think twice about spending time up at a cabin in the woods, then this surely is it. BLUE NOVEMBER STORMS is an excellent tale of what goes wrong on an innocent get-together amongst friends.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Synopsis:
It's been twenty years since the friends known as the Lightning Five visited the Summer Place together. Twenty years spent living in the shadow of something they did in high school, an event that defined them forever in the minds of everyone in their small town. Now they're returning for what should be a relaxing weekend of hunting and fishing, a chance to reminisce about old times and forget their troubles... but mother nature has other plans in mind.
There's a storm brewing. A meteor shower is in the forecast, but it's going to be unlike any event in recorded history. This meteor shower is bringing change to the world, it's awakening the creatures of the forest from their quiet slumber... and before long, the Lightning Five are going to find themselves trapped on the roof of their cabin, with their numbers dwindling and supplies running low...
Trapped with no means of escape, the men will have to make some hard choices... like who gets to live and who has to die.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spending a weekend with old friends in a cabin sounds like a blast. It should be a blast- drinking, telling of stories, just remembering old times. Even more special than having friends like that 20 years later, is the meteor shower that is going to be a spectacular event.
The author is able to bring these characters to life quickly, and easily allows the reader to become emotionally connected to each one. As the night wears on, the meteor shower starts, things begin to tragically turn into a wildlife nightmare.
The experiences these character had to endure were brought to life with amazing detail. You could see the events unfolding before your eyes (there were also exquisite illustrations by Glen Chadbourne that made the whole experience better). You fear the decisions that end up being made and you mourn the outcome of the descruction that the meteor shower brought.
BLUE NOVEMBER STORMS was a unique read full of detail, fright, and exceptional illustrations. I enjoyed every page of this book. I am excited to continue to seek out more from this author and hope to find more artwork from the illustator.
August 26, 2023
Well this kept me entertained for a couple of hours while switching between reading it and going online at my local public library - two cheap entertainment options at a time when my entertainment budget is somewhat limited (the book was on the library shelf). Freeman captures the Pennsylvania woods as winter approaches brilliantly; his human characterisation is competent but not as good as his depictions of nature. He also captures wild animals well - and the animals in this tale sure are wild (to expand on this would be to introduce a spoiler). Glenn Chadbourne's black and white drawings do justice to Freeman's text and the interview with Chadbourne at the end was illuminating - while I was reading the story and taking in the drawings I somehow imagined Chadbourne to be younger than his 1960s childhood, referenced in the interview, indicated. Must be the energy in them?
March 24, 2019
An Early Work - Amateurish
I enjoyed Painted Darkness, by this author, so gave this story a try. But, as the author confesses, this is a very early work of his, and I found it dull and clunky. The illustrations and cover art are what I liked best. I did not like the writing at all, and had to skim it just to move forward. I think this short story is highly overrated, but the author' writing has improved. Read Painted Darkness and skip this one, unless you want to see the illustrations.
I enjoyed Painted Darkness, by this author, so gave this story a try. But, as the author confesses, this is a very early work of his, and I found it dull and clunky. The illustrations and cover art are what I liked best. I did not like the writing at all, and had to skim it just to move forward. I think this short story is highly overrated, but the author' writing has improved. Read Painted Darkness and skip this one, unless you want to see the illustrations.
June 25, 2020
This book got three stars because I'm a fan of animal attack books. I really thought the book was interesting. The low rating is because there really wasn't an ending. What ended up happening? I sure would like to know.
The sad thing is that I enjoyed the writing style. I liked the storyline. I liked the characters. I just don't like it when a story feels rushed or doesn't explain what happened. This story was a bit of both. I won't say how the book ended because I know that people will want to read it. I just know this book wasn't for me.
The sad thing is that I enjoyed the writing style. I liked the storyline. I liked the characters. I just don't like it when a story feels rushed or doesn't explain what happened. This story was a bit of both. I won't say how the book ended because I know that people will want to read it. I just know this book wasn't for me.
March 1, 2019
Not your usual man vs. wild novella. The ‘creatures’ were somewhat unexpected, but quickly picked the the story up a notch with the help of a terrible secret that all of the friends shared. I only wish it was longer because Freeman presented so many intriguing ideas that were left inconclusive. I have to give him credit, however, because the details surfounding the novellas history and publication is a story in itself.
November 21, 2021
The introduction by Ray Garton was worth everything in this book. I haven't laughed out loud like this in a while! Steven Roy Grimsley's narration is also memorable; a great voice.
Curious about the comments about the illustrations by Glenn Chadbourne, I also looked at the Kindle edition, and viewed the drawings at the end of each chapter and read the interview with the artist.
So much packed into an 152 page story.
Curious about the comments about the illustrations by Glenn Chadbourne, I also looked at the Kindle edition, and viewed the drawings at the end of each chapter and read the interview with the artist.
So much packed into an 152 page story.
January 28, 2018
Too fast to build tension, characters were underdeveloped and I felt no connection to them. Also, how is a careless forest fire and a supernatural attack of forest animals connected? It wasn't even a cosmic justice kind of a thing. Overall really just meh
July 7, 2018
It’s a good story, the prose is competent but never beautiful. I think this prevents it from being a great story, instead of a pretty good one. Overall I enjoyed it, and especially enjoyed reading a lean horror novella in between my usual larger reads.
January 2, 2021
I usually love Brian Freeman books. This one, however, was not my favorite. This was a sci-fi book, which is not my favorite genre.
August 28, 2022
A nice short story that is interesting and easy to digest, it makes for a fun short read. The book benefits from some great illustrations, and the plot is fast. A good balance of mystery and horror.
September 30, 2022
Eh, was alright
June 13, 2025
I love some Brian James Freeman, but this one doesn't do it. It's just kind of goofy and a little too amateurish.
I highly recommend anything else by BJF, just maybe not this one .
I highly recommend anything else by BJF, just maybe not this one .
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