The Plague

by R.J. Meldrum

In a small, isolated Russian village, nestled in the foothills of the Ural Mountains, children are being struck down with a strange new disease during an unseasonal dry winter. The village priest and local doctor soon discover the cause of this plague and realise they will not only have to battle a supernatural monster, but the villagers themselves, to free the village from the curse.

(cover by Adrian Baldwin)

Genres: Horror, Short Stories

34 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 26, 2019

About the author

Richard Meldrum.

Reviews

[Latasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plague

This is a quick read about a plague targeting a group of kids. I didn't know what the "plague" was so that was a nice surprise. I liked the setting. I would have liked more folklore or folkways for dealing with this sickness, though. I would read more by this author.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic Vampire tale

Engaging traditional and atmospheric vampire story. Set in Russia, during the dreaded 'dry winter', children fall ill to an ancient curse. The local doctor and priest know how to save the people, but is the price too high. Atmospheric chiller.

[Angela Maher · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nicely written short story with an agreeably interesting approach to the trope. Would have liked to have seen more conflict and difficulty as the 'plague' was dealt with, but I enjoyed it.

[David Thirteen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice take on the classic vampire tale. Set in rural Russia in the early years of the 20th century, the setting worked well, giving a sense of isolation and forcing the villagers to be entirely self-reliant against the threat they face. And I got a pleasant Dracula-vibe from the doctor, priest, and local constable teaming up to battle the forces of evil. I expected things to be a bit tight with the novelette format, but the story on a whole would have benefited with a bit more rounding out and character development (especially for the constable who is only introduced near the end). The Plague is an enjoyable read, and I appreciated that the true horror of the tale is what people are willing to do and sometimes need to do when trying to do the right thing.

[Laurie Gienapp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice!

A tasty little bite! A traditional vampire story, nicely told. But told from a different point of view than what we normally see.

[Miranda Rogers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review coming soon to Kendall Reviews first.